National Night Out brings cops, kids and Riverdale neighbors together

Posted Friday, August 14, 2026 10:08 am

Before four Options members kicked off their live musical performance, member Leslie Gill, 19, was joined by a young attendee adorned in colorful face paint from a nearby booth for an impromptu rendition of a 2000s pop-hit.

Michelle Mullen photos

Seventeen-year-old Joshua Martinez, left, is a first-year member of Options, a New York Police Department youth program that strengthens neighborhood policing by guiding 14- to 24-year-olds through workshops, internships and other programming. Speaking to the crowd at the event, Adrian Suriel, 19, introduced the song “Flora,” in honor of his grandmother who had recently died.

Members of the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, operated by the New York City Office of Emergency Management, shared preparedness tools and safety information during National Night Out Aug. 4. Volunteers demonstrated equipment such as flood detection alarms and guided residents through hands-on CPR practice using training dummies. Made up of trained civilians, CERT teams assist both residents and first responders during emergencies, offering support in situations ranging from severe weather to large-scale disasters.

Council member Eric Dinowitz and Senator Robert Jackson were among the elected officials who spoke at the event — where a representative of the mayor’s office awarded the 50th precinct with a proclamation declaring Aug. 4 National Night Out Day. ..Earlier in the day, a representative for Governor Kathy Hochul also presented Commander Ammadeus Oktrova with a similar proclamation.

Pablo De La Cruz and his 12-year-old daughter Paulina cooled off with ice cream from a Mister Softee truck parked across from the 50th precinct, one of several free treats offered to families during National Night Out Aug. 4. Like most other children, Paulina and her brother Christian opted for a sprinkle cone. Their mother, Carolyn De La Cruz, said the evening offered a chance to familiarize themselves with local officers, saying, “the kids can see their faces that they may recognize — they could ask for help.”

Residents joined officers from the NYPD’s 50th precinct, as well as city representatives, on the asphalt “dance floor,” where a DJ played vibrant tunes alongside them. In between, live music performances took to the stage.

Children lined up for turns in a brightly colored bounce house set up near the 50th precinct during National Night Out. The inflatable attraction was among several activities designed to bring families together, creating a lively atmosphere where younger attendees could play while parents spoke with officers and community members.

by Michelle Mullen

The smell of hot dogs and burgers fresh off the grill wafted down Kingsbridge Avenue Aug. 4 during an annual community celebration hosted by the New York Police Department’s 50th Precinct.

The jamboree was part of National Night Out Against Crime, a countrywide campaign to strengthen ties between community members and local police in a relaxed, festive setting. Held on the first Tuesday in August, the initiative was marked by each NYPD precinct across more than 70 locations. The goal of National Night Out, according to the city, is to promote police-community partnerships to help make neighborhoods “safer, more caring places to live.”

National Night Out dates back to 1984, when the National Association of Town Watch launched the campaign with law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, civic organizations and volunteers, according to the organization. The first event involved 2.5 million people in 400 communities across 23 states, the association said. What began as an effort centered on neighbors turning on their porch lights has since grown into block parties, festivals, cookouts, youth activities and public safety events nationwide.

On a humid August evening, hundreds took to a block party, just across from the 50th precinct building at 3450 Kingsbridge Ave.

Ed Green, Bronx Community Board 8’s Public Safety Committee chair, highlighted the importance of neighborhood partnerships in maintaining local safety.

“It’s good that the community has an opportunity to show solidarity with the 50th precinct, and get to know some of the officers, and get to see that they’re neighbors like themselves, normal human beings,” he said.

The free event featured activities for children and families, including a bounce house, games, face painting and a Mister Softee ice cream truck. Officers took to the dance floor and joined kids in a small basketball game, sharing smiles and laughs while blasting music played throughout. Scattered all through the block were neighbors mingling with law enforcement officers.

Several community organizations staffed information tables, offering resources on public safety, emergency preparedness and local services. Officers were able to use the event to spend time talking with residents outside of emergency situations, reflecting the event’s goal of building stronger relationships through positive community interaction.

Keywords

National Night Out, 50th Precinct, NYPD, Riverdale, Kingsbridge Avenue, Bronx, police-community relations, community safety, National Night Out Against Crime, Bronx community, NYPD events, Ed Green