Community Corner
Communities Celebrate National Night Out Against Crime
Residents, officials, police and fire departments unite against neighborhood crime.
The Kensington community was one of several around Baltimore County to celebrate the National Night Out Against Crime on the evening of Aug. 2.
Last year, 37 million people in 15,000 communities across the country took part as a way to strengthen police-community partnerships and stand up to crime in their neighborhoods.
The evening was coordinated by Kensington’s Citizens On Patrol, a group of volunteers who walk the neighborhood streets and work to foster relationships with local police and fire departments.
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“It’s all about continuing our partnership with the police and celebrating the Citizens On Patrol and the fire departments as well,” said Kensington COP leader Susan Mazzoni.
Because Kensington straddles the city-county line, members of both Baltimore City Police as well as the Baltimore County Police participated in the event, as well as the Catonsville career station and the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department.
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“It’s great that the community comes out to embrace us and show their support,” said Maj. Eric Russell of the Southwest District Police Department.
Festivities began with a parade of fire trucks, police cars and community members meandering through Kensington and ending at a picnic dinner of fried chicken and biscuits on South College Road. Everyone was invited to eat and chat.
“I think that one of our greatest accomplishments has been here on South College Road,” Mazzoni said. She explained that not long ago drug deals were happening on this street and because of the efforts of the community and police this is no longer an issue.
Members of COP are out on the streets throughout the day. The volunteers log an average of 289 patrols a month Mazzoni said.
Several local politicians including Sen. Ed Kasemeyer, Councilmember Tom Quirk and Del. James Malone were out to show support for the cause and praise both the community involvement as well as the police and fire departments.
“It’s only through true community and police partnerships that we can keep communities safe,” said Quirk.
Kensington’s National Night Out was funded in part by the Baltimore County Police and also area businesses who donated food and gift certificates to be used as raffle prizes.