National Night Out is Tuesday, but Bartlett is starting the party early
Area towns are turning up the heat on their National Night Out Against Crime celebrations, beefing up their activities to attract residents to the Aug. 3 event.
The Arlington Heights Police Department has joined forces with the park district this year for a night of demonstrations and exhibits. The police K-9 unit will demonstrate bite and drug work, and the fire department will show how traffic crash victims are rescued.
Free food and beverages will be provided by the Arlington Heights Park District.
Arlington Heights police officer Doug Hajek compared the evening to a citizen's police academy course crammed into three hours.
"It gives a pretty good picture of what the police department does," Hajek said. "And it gives people an opportunity to see some of the things beyond Arlington Heights when it comes to federal agencies and the Cook County Bomb Squad."
Returning to Arlington Heights' Night Out this year is the Illinois CHIP child identification program, where parents can get a free identification disk containing their child's fingerprints, photograph and voice sample.
National Night Out is a nationwide crime and drug prevention initiative sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch to strengthen relationships between area police departments and their communities. NATW recognizes towns that draw large percentages of their residents to the Aug. 3 event, then assigns rankings based on town populations.
Arlington Heights, which drew more than 4,000 residents to its event last year, was ranked 17 nationally in its population category for 2009, and has been moved up the list each year since 2005.
The village of Bartlett has ranked second nationally in its population category.
The Bartlett police department and village held a July 10 teen skate night as part of its program, and has planned a full weekend of activities for its 17th annual National Night Out with nightly events beginning Friday, July 30, and running through Tuesday. 3. The weekend kicks off with a flashlight walk and pool party on Friday, block parties throughout town on Saturday and a bike ride with Village President Michael Kelly on Tuesday afternoon.
A picnic in Bartlett Park on Tuesday evening will feature "The Biggest Loser" Michael Ventrella, the Jesse White Tumblers, a Polynesian fire dance performance and mascots from the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls and other sports teams.
The police department will also grant awards to citizens and businesses that have made a difference in their community.
NW suburban National Night Out events Here's a list of events Tuesday, Aug. 3, in various communities. Bartlett's celebration starts Friday, while Wheeling celebrates Sunday, Aug. 1.Arlington HeightsThe event is from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at North School Park, 410 N. Arlington Heights Road. Exhibits and demonstrations by the police K-9 unit, Cook County Sheriff's Bomb Squad, American Red Cross and U.S. Army. Free food and beverages; attendees encouraged to bring nonperishable items for the Wheeling Township Food Pantry.BarringtonThe event 6:30-9 p.m. at Citizen's Park, 511 Lake Zurich Road, will feature a performance by the Juke Box band and a demonstration by a police dog, as well as a moonwalk for children and free food for all attendees. Parents can get digital fingerprinting and ID kits made for their children, sponsored by the KlaasKids Foundation.BartlettActivities begin 8 p.m. Friday, with a flashlight walk from the Jensen Pavilion to the Bartlett Aquatic Center, both at 620 W. Stearns Road, for a pool party. Registered neighborhood groups will hold block parties and lighting competitions from 3-10 p.m. Saturday and there will be a skate park party from 6-10 p.m. Residents can ride their bikes alongside village President Michael Kelly from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3 in the Jensen Pavilion parking lot. That night, a picnic at 5 p.m. in Bartlett Park, Oak and North avenues, featuring 101.9 The Mix, a bicycle stunt team, appearances by several Chicago team mascots and family-friendly games. Detailed information on all events is at village.bartlett.il.us.Des PlainesPolice will visit three locations between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to display their newest squad cars and equipment, squadrol and ATVs. Residents can ask questions, meet members of the Tactical Response Team and observe high-tech equipment, including a robot. Locations are Chippewa Park, 197 Eighth Ave.; The Leisure Center, 2222 Birch St.; and Friendship Park, 395 Algonquin Road.Hoffman Estates Various neighborhood groups will hold their own block parties. Interested groups can register their party at nationalnightout.org/nnoMount ProspectThe park district and police department are co-hosting the 6:30 p.m. event at the Woodland Trails Park facility, 1500 East Euclid Ave. Local musician Chris Petlak will perform and police will have emergency vehicles on display. Attendees can play free mini-golf and swim at the facility.SchaumburgTwenty-six different Neighborhood Watch and Homeowner's Association groups are holding block parties from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with visits from village officials, police officers and McGruff the Crime Dog. Residents can also attend a community Night Out event at Meineke Recreation Park, 220 E. Weathersfield Way. A pizza dinner for senior citizens with police and community leaders will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Barn Senior Center, 231 S. Civic Drive.StreamwoodPolice will visit area Neighborhood Watch meetings at their scheduled times.WheelingPolice will host a 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. "Rocking with the Cops" event Sunday, Aug. 1, at the Wheeling Park District Aquatic Center.