HOWELL – Since its inception decades ago as a neighborhood watch activity, National Night Out has grown into a municipal event throughout America. But, for the people of Howell Township, it is another reason to celebrate the community.
As has been done in the past, the Howell P.A.L. had its annual junior cadet graduation on August 1 to coincide with the township’s celebration of National Night Out.
This year’s event was held at Soldier Memorial Park, which is fast becoming the go-to place for all Howell events. With current and scheduled improvements to the park in excess of $2 million, it will now host everything including Howell Day, the Easter Egg Hunt, the Tree Lighting Ceremony and even the town’s holiday “Spooktacular” at the end of October.
The 2023 junior cadet graduating class began with 50 participants, but due to the rigors and demands of the program only 47 young cadets made it through to graduation. This was the thirteenth graduating class for the P.A.L. program, and many of the young cadets were presented with their certificate of achievement by their parents who are members of law enforcement.
Sgt. Chris Hill, who oversaw the event on behalf of the Howell P.A.L., said he was proud of the students.
“A lot of them came in and didn’t think they could do it. So, they were able to survive and make it through. But, we kind of make it so that when they leave here, everybody knows they’re a winner,” said Hill, who runs the P.A.L. and also serves as the Chairman for the National Police Athletic Activities Leagues, Inc.
At its outset, the junior cadet program would formerly run in June, with a graduation at the conclusion of the week-long drill instruction. But Hill saw the opportunity to tie it in with the nationwide event in August, and the change was made.
“[This] was an event we did to open up their eyes to law enforcement,” said Hill. “Then with the relationship to National Night Out, when we had our graduation it just made sense to culminate here. To come out and fight against crime, and show that we support one another. The community supports the law enforcement, and law enforcement supports the community.”
During the one-week training, the adolescents learn the skills utilized by local police, including an introduction to firearms, and motor vehicle enforcement. The young cadets are also shown the use of new technologies in fighting crime, such as robotics and drone use, emergency response procedures, and evaluating crime scenes.
Following the graduation ceremony, the assembled crowd enjoyed visiting more than 20 area vendors that participated in the event. In addition, there were displays, learning opportunities, and demonstrations that drew crowds of people interested in seeing emergency response procedures in action.
The Howell police put their k-9 unit on display, running the dogs through their paces with live action demonstrations of how the animals are used to take down perpetrators and locate narcotics out in the field.
In another area of the park, the Southward Fire Department put on a demonstration of their motor vehicle accident response capabilities, educating the public about how they can systematically take vehicles apart to free the occupants who may be trapped inside.
“For Howell, it gives the public an opportunity to be one-on-one with the police department, the rescue squad and the fire department,” said Deputy Mayor Evelyn O’Donnell. “Kids get an opportunity to see the people that will help you when you’re in trouble, and I think it’s important now to build those relationships. So, this is a good way for people to see how our departments really work. We’re very fortunate…we have an excellent [police] department, so in conjunction with the National Night Out, the cadet graduation [fosters] a better relationship, especially with the youth of the community.”
O’Donnell’s spouse and two sons are all members of the law enforcement community.
National Night Out is celebrated across America on the first Tuesday in August. From its humble beginnings decades earlier, the event has now grown from simple neighborhood watch patrols to celebratory events where police and first responders seek to foster tighter bonds with the communities they serve.
Numerous civic organizations now participate in the observance of National Night Out, where Howell is one of nearly 300 communities in New Jersey that host similar outings. But just as they have done with other events in the town, Howell is always looking to improve the experience for its citizens.
Last year’s event was held at the parking lot at the now-defunct Xscape movie theater, and with the excessive heat during that week, it made for a less-than-pleasurable outing. This year, however, with the event moved to Soldier Memorial Park the crowd appeared to be even bigger, with near-perfect weather and a much more serene setting.
Several new activities were added this year, including a dunk tank and a water balloon toss, where youngsters could take aim at a willing volunteer protected by a motorcycle helmet. But, while there is a fair amount of good-natured fun and levity at the event, the importance of the night, and the message it carries, is not lost on township officials.
“I think that this is an opportunity for kids to make better friends with those that are in authority positions,” concluded O’Donnell. “I think that this is a real plus. We’re able to do something like this, in an environment under a beautiful night, and we’ve got a great crowd. I think it might be a catalyst for some young people to see and find an interest in law enforcement and associated fields.”
