Letter to the Editor: National Night Out

National Night Out (NNO) is a nation-wide initiative promoting partnerships between police departments and the communities they serve, building neighborhood bonds while getting to know each other in a fun and festive environment.

Law enforcement is the backbone of community safety. Any effort to build trust between local departments and our communities is a win, and I have been proud to provide $10,000 in funding for every police department across the county that hosts a National Night Out. This year, towns of Goshen, Highland Falls, Mount Hope, Warwick, Wallkill, New Windsor, and Woodbury, as well as cities of Middletown and Port Jervis police departments, hosted NNO events for their communities. The Town of Crawford held a NNO earlier this summer in conjunction with the town’s 250th celebration, and the Town of Tuxedo’s event will be held later this summer.

These events don’t come together on their own. I want to thank the vendors, organizers, the families who turn out, and most of all the dedicated police departments who make these evenings succeed. Public safety is a priority for us all, and our communities are safest when we all work together.

James Skoufis
NYS Senator, 42nd District