Portsmouth Police Department Hosts National Night Out 2022

By: City of Portsmouth

The City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Police Department (PPD), and a host of sponsors and supporters have teamed up to host the 2022 National Night Out (NNO) event at Portsmouth City Park, from 4 – 8 p.m., Tuesday, August 2. National Night Out is a nation-wide community-building campaign designed to promote positive police and community partnerships.

With humble beginnings in 1970, National Night Out’s roots began in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From this effort, the National Association of Town Watch was founded in 1981, providing community watch groups with information and resources to stay informed, involved, and motivated within their neighborhoods. Three years later in 1984, the National Association of Town Watch launched the National Night Out campaign using its existing established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch organizations, civic groups, volunteers, and state and regional crime prevention associations. The first National Out involved 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states. Today, celebrating its 38th anniversary, National Night Out’s reach includes 38 million neighbors and 16,000 communities.

In the past, Portsmouth communities held various separate NNO events across the city. This year, the PPD is staging a carnival-type affair with all the flair of an old-fashioned street party. Invitations have gone out to Portsmouth civic and community groups and other organizations interested in building up neighborhoods. Spread out over the entire acreage of Portsmouth City Park, participants will be able to connect with law enforcement, first responders, health agencies, and businesses. Free to the public, there will be activities for everyone including live music, food trucks, raffle drawings, bounce houses,  and entertainment.

Here’s a short of list of some of the vendors and/or other participants in the 2022 National Night Out event:

  • Stop the Violence 757 – Organization information
  • Portsmouth Crime Line – P3Tips App, organization information
  • Portsmouth Humane – Pet adoption
  • Port Rover – Pet training, grooming & boarding
  • PRHA – Services offered
  • Mercy Drops – Community engagement and services
  • Thrive Church – Community engagement
  • Planet Fitness – Fitness information
  • Effingham Street YMCA – Community engagement and services

To date, more than 40 organizations will participate in National Night Out 2022 offering a variety of services, information, and opportunities to engage with other groups in and around the Portsmouth community.

Make your plans to participate in this year’s National Night Out. Public parking will be available at Simonsdale Elementary School, 4841 Clifford Street. Additional parking will be available at the Olive Branch Little League Baseball Field, 4821 Clifford Street. Shuttle service will be available to bring participants from the parking sites to and from the NNO event at Portsmouth City Park. For more information, visit https://portsmouthpd.us/222/National-Night-Out or call the Portsmouth Police Department at 757-393-8092.