At a time when tensions are high throughout the nation between police officers and citizens, the Chula Vista and National City communities came out to celebrate their local law enforcement agencies at the 33rd annual National Night Out Against Crime event.
Chula Vista resident Norm Sakaida brought his 9-year-old son to National Night Out at the Chula Vista Police Station at Fourth Avenue and F Street so he can understand that the police’s job is to serve and protect the community no matter a person’s race.
“I think [the event] teaches him that the police are your friends,” Sakaida said. “When you need help they are there for you, no matter what.”
National Night Out serves as a community-building event that promotes police-community partnerships and to establish safer and better communities for both the police and citizens.
Sakaida was one of hundreds of attendees to get hands on experience learning about police work.
He visited all the booths including the popular Special Weapons And Tactics display that was manned by Chula Vista police detective and SWAT team member Oz Rivera.
On a table for display were SWAT vests, a camouflage pattern sniper riffle, magazines and a rock hard helmet. A BearCat was also parked adjacent to the booth for public viewing. The Chula Vista police department employs a 22-member SWAT Team that responds on average four to eight operations a year, Rivera said.
“The Naval hospital incident that happened a few months ago where they said they had an active shooter, we were actually here at the police department on one of our SWAT trainings,” Rivera said. “And when that [call] came out we actually responded, we were the first full SWAT team to get there,” Rivera said.
National City police officers gathered at Las Palmas Park for their National Night Out. In National City they had a lot of the same booths as Chula Vista Police with the display of SWAT gear, police cars and police motorcycles.
They also hosted a K-9 demonstration where attendees saw a K-9 named Marko attack another officer in a body suit.
National City police officer Salvador Gil said National Night Out helps National City become one as a community.
“This is where we show that we can come together as a community and also as law enforcement,” he said. “Whatever happens to us impacts the community and whatever happens to the community impacts what we do. So it is in everybody’s best interest to make sure that we are actually coming together and showing a unified front.”
