Tuesday Evening is National Night Out in St. Cloud

(KNSI) – A national anti-crime effort that aims to promote better connections within neighborhoods and with local law enforcement is happening Tuesday evening.

During National Night Out, held on the first Tuesday of August each year, the St. Cloud Police Department says “residents in neighborhoods throughout St. Cloud and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening with neighbors and police.”

“It’s a time for the police to come together with the neighborhoods in good circumstances,” said SCPD Commander of Community Engagement Martin Sayre.

While many neighborhoods in the area are holding their own events, one National Night Out gathering is happening at SCPD’s Community OutPost, or COP House, located at 600 13th Street South in St. Cloud.

“There’s going to be food there,” Sayre said. “Obviously, a lot of our COP House employees will be there, our volunteers and community service people as well as the police officers. I know there’s going to be some activities for kids … bike giveaways, yard games and the Culver’s food truck will be there.”

As a guest of KNSI’s Dan “The Ox” Oschner, Sayre spoke about why community connections are important.

“If you know your neighbors — like my neighbors, I tell them if I’m going on vacation, ‘Hey, I’m gone until Sunday night, so if there’s anything going on here, you know it’s not me,’ that kind of stuff,” Sayre said. “We need that in neighborhoods, the cohesive groups of people that can communicate, and it really helps in times of crisis.”

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