La’Trey Conley, 10 months, alongside Angel Swinehart, left, and Angie Oliver, visit a police dog during Tuesday’s National Night Out.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
LIMA — The annual National Night Out returned to the Lima region Tuesday as several area communities hosted events geared toward strengthening relationships with law enforcement and promoting public safety.
Town Square in downtown Lima was blocked off to traffic for the event, and guests were able to enjoy free food, children’s activities and music. Members of the Lima Police and Fire Departments demonstrated their gear and vehicles to children while having the opportunity to interact with the public in a relaxed setting.
Major Ron Holman of the Lima Police Department said that the yearly event builds trust between first responders and the public, helping to foster a safer community.
“Someone told me a while ago that the police are the public and the public are the police; we’re just the only element of society charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public safety. But it’s a collaboration between everyone because … we depend on the public to let us know where problems are and where things need help,” he said.
“If we get to the point where we’re on a first name basis with someone, you’re more comfortable asking for help and coming to us when you need help,” Holman said.
Visitors could also speak with representatives from several area organizations who set up booths to provide information about their services to the public, including West Ohio Community Action Partnership, the Salvation Army, Crime Victim Services, Rhodes State College and West Ohio Food Bank. Tommie Harner, CEO of West Ohio Food Bank, said the event helps to promote a network of support and to build relationships in the local community.
“Although we’re in Lima and a lot of people know about us, there are still some in the population that doesn’t, so we’re just interacting with the community and other agencies and just possibly seeing how we can help,” Harner said.
Another National Night Out event was hosted at the Elida Fieldhouse, featuring dozens of area businesses and community groups. Organizers Becky Ellinger, Jill Coppler, Danielle McClure and Julie Pfister said the event was a chance to cultivate community spirit in Elida.
“We just want to strengthen a sense of community and have a nice, free family event for everyone to come out to. We’re a small village — we need to have each other’s backs, and everyone should know one another and work together to make this the best place it can be,” Pfister said.
National Night Out has been observed annually in communities across the nation since 1984. According to the organization’s website, the inaugural National Night Out brought together 2.5 million people across 23 states. The yearly event has grown in the decades since, now drawing over 38 million visitors in 16,000 communities across all 50 states.
Among these 16,000 communities were other area celebrations, including events held at the Allen County Fairgrounds, Heritage Park in Shawnee Township, the Bluffton Pool, Wapakoneta’s Harmon Park and Stadium Park in Delphos.
