National Night Out a meet and greet for Long Islanders, law enforcement

Long Islanders ventured out Tuesday evening to mark the 2025 version of National Night Out — an effort to bring communities closer to some of the people who protect them in times of emergency, either natural or manmade.

Officially started in 1984, National Night Out is an event held on the first Tuesday of August, aimed at growing neighborhood camaraderie and helping strengthen the relationship between residents and law enforcement.

"It’s important because it is a way, nationwide, of making a statement that our streets, our parks, every facility that we have to offer ... it’s for the hardworking individuals that live in our Village of Hempstead, and so the streets don’t belong to criminals," said Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. in an interview with Newsday before a National Night Out event Tuesday evening at Denton Green Park.

Hobbs said more than 500 people were expected to turn out.

Currently, 124 cities, towns and villages across New York State participate, including more than a dozen on Long Island, according to the organization's website.

"National Night Out grew to become a celebration beyond just front porch vigils and symbolic efforts amongst neighbors to send a message of neighborhood camaraderie," says a statement on the website. "Neighborhoods across the nation began to host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and more."

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman attended the Nassau police department's Third Precinct National Night Out event in Westbury.

In a statement, he said that the county "has been a leader in community policing."

"It is important that our Police Department and the community have a close working relationship and in Nassau County, residents love our cops," he said.

The Suffolk County sheriff's National Night Out, held at Firemen's Memorial Park in Ridge, had more than 70 vendors and activities such as bingo and tug of war, according to Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr.

Sheriff's officials also "swore in" around 30 children as deputy sheriffs, having some of the junior deputies share stories about times they showed bravery.

Toulon said the event helps residents to remember that officers are "human beings just like them."

"We come to work, we try to do the best we can each and every day to protect our communities, and we hope that this is a better connection with the young children and also the adults," he said.

He described his favorite part of National Night Out as "talking to the young children" and "seeing the smiles on their faces" as well as the support that the sheriff’s office received from the community.