On Tuesday, Aug. 1, neighborhoods throughout the Berrien Springs and Oronoko Township area are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the eighth annual National Night Out.

The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Grove Park in Berrien Springs. There will be a display of public safety equipment. Activities for the children will include a “bounce house,” face painting, sidewalk chalk art and spraying a fire hose.    

Participating agencies are Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, Medic-1, and the Berrien Springs Fire Department.

National Night Out is designed to accomplish several goals, including:

• Heighten crime prevention awareness

• Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts such as Neighborhood Watch

• Strengthen neighborhood police and community partnerships 

• Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are getting organized and fighting back.

In addition to passing out various kinds of crime prevention and safety related items, the BSOTPD will be encouraging residents to sign up for free home security surveys as well as seeking neighborhoods interested in Neighborhood Watch. 

Free food will be available during the event with pizza from Pizza Hut, hot dogs, veggie hot dogs, chips and soft drinks. 

Sponsors include Pizza Hut, Harding’s, Honor Credit Union and Trinity Lutheran Church.

From 8 to 10 p.m. on Tuesday residents in the Berrien Springs-Oronoko area are encouraged to turn on their front porch lights in a symbolic show of support of local crime prevention efforts. 

For more information on the Berrien Springs area National Night Out event, contact Community/School Resource Officer Rick Smiedendorf of the Berrien Springs-Oronoko Township Police Department at (269)-277-2728/471-2813 or at smiedendorf@bsopd.org