San Fernando Police Department’s National Night Out event draws crowds
Claudio Ctin13 mins
Each year, the San Fernando Police Department hosts the community’s National Night Out gathering. It focuses on crime and drug prevention awareness, safety, and renewing neighborhood police-community relationships. It also lets lawbreakers know that residents are fighting back.
The first National Night Out event was held in 1984 sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch based in Pennsylvania, and is now held by police departments nationwide. In the City of San Fernando, a stretch of First Street was closed in front of the San Fernando Police Department (SFPD) facilities to make room for K9 demonstrations, high-risk vehicle stop demonstrations, music, free activities for children, and booths with information from local government and non-profit agencies.
About 300 people turned out, and participants got the chance to take photos with a fully restored SFPD 1956 Chevy patrol car, and the police department was open to the public, with police equipment on display and officers answering questions.
K-9 Officer Nicholas Murillo and dog Renz answer questions during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers answer questions after a demonstration during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officer Art Lesmez during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
San Fernando Police officers during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Detective Seargent Pete Aguirre explains police equipment during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
San Fernando Police Officer Kyle Cleveland demonstrates with K-9 Renz during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers Art Lesmez and Fernando Miranda, during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Evidence and Property Officer Marlene Martinez explains an incinerator used for the destruction of drugs during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Information booths during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Police Seargent Brian Woodward takes a question form a child during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers prepare to demonstrate a high-risk stop during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Detective Alex Licea explains police equipment during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers explain a less lethal beanbag gun during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers take photos with children during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers demonstrate a high-risk stop during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Children watch a demonstration during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Officers demonstrate a high-risk stop during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
City of San Fernando Mayor Celeste T. Rodriguez speaks during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People visit booths during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
San Fernando City Manager Nick Kimball speaks during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
1 of 20
K-9 Officer Nicholas Murillo and dog Renz answer questions during the San Fernando Police Department’s annual National Night Out event in San Fernando on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Expand
San Fernando Police Chief Fabian Valdez sees the annual event as a chance to build relationships with the people he serves. “National Night Out is a celebration, a celebration of relationships, a celebration of the relationship between the San Fernando Police Department and the San Fernando community,” he said.
The small city of about 25,000 was incorporated in 1911 and is about 2.4 square miles. Valdez said the police department enjoys a strong relationship with residents: “The constant theme is, ‘We want to see more of you. We want to see more patrols.’ I think it speaks volumes as to the level of commitment the community has towards its police department,” he said.
In Valdez’ view, “The community and community stakeholders understand that a safe community is a vibrant community, supports its youth, and it’s a great place for young people to grow up. And that is our goal at the police department here, is to address quality of life issues, address crime so that San Fernando can be the community we all know it can be.”
Valdez and SFPD officers mingled in the crowd, shaking hands, placing badge stickers on children and answering questions.
One highlight of the night was a demonstration by officers of a “high-risk” or “felony” stop to show the public the procedure up close and safely.
During the demonstration two patrol vehicles lined up behind a vehicle with emergency lights activated. Officers approached the vehicle as they would in a real-life situation. They removed the suspect — an SFPD officer dressed in plain clothes — cleared the vehicle of other suspects,and played out a mock arrest of the officer/suspect.
Then K-9 Officer Nicholas Murillo and dog Renz took the stage, demonstrating how a police dog would be used to subdue a noncompliant suspect. Renz jumped into a vehicle, biting onto the protective suit worn by the officer, who was acting as a suspect. Renz pulled him from the vehicle, allowing officers to take him into custody.
After the demonstrations, officers answered questions about what they did, tactics, weapons, procedures and anything the public wanted to ask. Children holding free toys took photos with officers and asked them questions about being a police officer.
Maybe one day in the distant future, some will choose to go into law enforcement.
Related Articles
News |
Parole rescinded for former LAPD detective convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend’s wife in 1986
News |
Los Angeles unveils ‘real time’ crime centers, aimed at helping officers rushing to scenes
News |
Rio Hondo College appoints first chief of police — and he’s also a mayor
News |
Lawsuit filed by former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva over his placement on ‘do not rehire list’ is dismissed
News |
Justice Department opens civil rights probe on ‘goon squad’ after deputies torture 2 Black men
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Of the Lobos 24 games this upcoming season, at least 18 of them will be broadcast on national television. UNM will be featured on CBS, FOX, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and TruTV/MAX. CBS vs San Diego State – January 11 – 1 p.m. OR 2 p.m. FOX at UNLV – January 25…
LISA is back with a brand new single, the swoon-worthy “Moonlit Floor,” which arrived on Thursday (Oct. 3). The BLACKPINK singer has been teasing the track on TikTok leading up to its release, and debuted it live at Global Citizen Fest last month. The song interpolates Sixpence None the Richer‘s hit “Kiss Me,” which reached…
Un hombre acaba por resolverse en las metas personales. Las obsesiones, logros y objetivos que se propone y acomete de manera frontal, cara a cara. [[LINK:TAG|||tag|||63361c655c059a26e23f85dc|||Santiago Muñoz Machado]], director de la [[LINK:TAG|||tag|||633619c159a61a391e0a1763|||Real Academia Española]], traía consigo una serie de ideas para la Academia que ha ido cumpliendo a lo largo de estos años con una…
Eine riesige Rauchwolke steigt über Ruinen auf. Ein Video soll einen russischen Angriff mit einer besonders starken Bombe zeigen. Russland soll in der Region Charkiw eine der stärksten nicht-nuklearen Bomben eingesetzt haben. Es soll sich nach Berichten auf Telegram und in sozialen Medien um eine sogenannte Vakuumbombe gehandelt haben. Videos der ukrainischen Nachrichtenagentur InsiderUA auf…
En el corazón de Segovia, donde la tradición culinaria se abraza con ingredientes locales de primera calidad y deliciosas recetas ancestrales, se encuentra El Real Ingenio Chico, un restaurante que ha conquistado a los paladares más exigentes y recientemente ha sido reconocido con el Solete Repsol, el distintivo que ofrece la Guía Repsol a locales…
A dockworker strike thousands of miles away from Southern California was enough to empty toilet paper supplies this week in a scene reminiscent of the pandemic. Shoppers on Thursday lined up to buy paper products and bottled water in bulk at Costco and other big-box retail stores across the region. “Not again!” laughed one man…
Aussie rockers Southern Sons are hitting the road again in 2025, starting at the end of January and wrapping up in May 2025. The announcement comes after Southern Sons embarked on their first tour in 25 years earlier this year. Still hungry to tour, the band will play all their hits in regional and metro…
Prahran’s Rossi Bar is gearing up to host an exciting night of electronic music, with Late Nite Tuff Guy inviting you out for dinner and a DJ set later this month. Taking place on Saturday, October 19th, attendees are urged to join the Rossi Bar team for an “unforgettable evening of music, food, and wine”…
Angel City Football Club’s late-season playoff push was dealt a severe blow Thursday. The NWSL announced that the club was being deducted three points, effective immediately, after the conclusion of an investigation that determined that Angel City was found guilty of a salary cap violation. According to the report, during the “calendar year 2023, ACFC…
LOS ANGELES — On a second-and-1 during Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, the Rams called one of their standard duo running plays. It would be up to the offensive line to overpower the first level of the Bears’ defense, then for running back Kyren Williams to read the second level and make his move….
EMPIRE is not for sale, said company founder/CEO Ghazi at the Trapital Summit on Thursday (Oct. 3) in Hollywood. While appearing on a panel titled “The Rise of Independent Music” at the inaugural edition of the conference, Trapital founder Dan Runcie played a short game of over/under with Ghazi, asking the EMPIRE head how many…
City and police officials touted on Thursday, Oct. 3, an ongoing effort to install 100 automated license-plate readers in the northwest San Fernando Valley, saying the technology can play a crucial role in combating rising crime. Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee helped earmark $500,000 to have 100 readers installed throughout his 12th Council District…
Liz Cheney hat sich schon länger von ihrem Parteikollegen Trump abgewendet. Vor kurzem hat sie ihre Unterstützung für Harris öffentlich gemacht. Nun tritt sie sogar gemeinsam mit der Demokratin auf. Die Republikanerin Liz Cheney hat sich bei einem gemeinsamen Wahlkampfauftritt mit Kamala Harris hinter die demokratische Präsidentschaftskandidatin gestellt und erneut vor Donald Trump gewarnt. “Ich…
DDG and Halle Bailey are going their separate ways. DDG announced that the couple has split with an Instagram Story post on Thursday evening (Oct. 3). “After much reflection and heartfelt conversations, Halle and I have decided to go our separate ways,” he began. “This decision was not easy, but we believe it’s the best…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico woman who was raped by her arresting officer will now be getting a hefty payout from the state of New Mexico. KRQE Investigates first reported on what the former Isleta police officer admitted to years ago after he arrested the woman. Today, another court battle in the case has…
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna presided Thursday over the 2024 Valor Awards ceremony, recognizing nearly three dozen department members, retirees and civilians for acts of bravery and service. The ceremony was held late Thursday morning at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, in the 1800 block of South Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles. “Every…
Fortitude Valley venue The Prince Consort is gearing up to celebrate the life and legacy of one of Brisbane’s most beloved music media exports, Ritchie Yorke. Yorke, who was born in the Queensland capital, built a career defining some of music’s most groundshaking moments, rubbing shoulders with Lennon, Hendrix, and Zeppelin in the process. From…
Die Feuerwehrgewerkschaft hat sich gegen eine Präferenz bei der Präsidentschaftswahl 2024 entschieden. Das ist besonders für die Demokraten ein Rückschlag. Die International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) hat eine unerwartete Entscheidung getroffen. Die größte Feuerwehrgewerkschaft der USA , die mehr als 300.000 Feuerwehrleute und Ersthelfer vertritt, wird im Präsidentschaftswahlkampf 2024 weder die demokratische Kandidatin Kamala…
Independent music trade bodies have hit out at TikTok for boycotting collective license talks with Merlin by seeking to strike direct deals with its indie label members, accusing the platform of trying to divide the sector and “drive down the value” of music. Licensing talks between TikTok and Merlin, which negotiates digital licenses for a…
The music line-up for the NRL and NRLW Grand Finals has grown, going Australian (and New Zealand) with extra acts announced this week. Last month, it was announced that The Kid LAROI would headline the NRL Grand Final entertainment, but he won’t be the only one providing musical entertainment on the big days. As Sony…
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Amazon’s selection of products has evolved into a massive marketplace — and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by celebrities. Not only can…
LOS ANGELES — The kid was 6-foot-7. That spoke for itself. So most of the coaches talked sweet back then. A few years ago, though, a University of Washington assistant coach flew south to Arizona to see Pinnacle High offensive tackle Elijah Paige. The coach made abundantly clear he was not in love here, former…
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Austin City Limits Music Festival launches its three-night broadcast event tonight (Oct. 6) on Hulu. This year’s festival will take place…
By TOM KRISHER DETROIT — The union representing 45,000 striking U.S. dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports has reached a deal to suspend a three-day strike until Jan. 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract. The union, the International Longshoremen’s Association, is to resume working immediately. Both sides also reached agreement on…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s a concern for balloonists every year, the risk of a trailer being stolen, with a balloon inside. Now as the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta quickly approaches, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office said this year, there’s a secure place for balloonists to store their trailers for free. Story continues below News:…
For California, the 2018 wildfire season marked the “deadliest and most destructive” one on record, fire officials say. But then-President Donald Trump reportedly nearly declined to approve federal aid because of the state’s political makeup. Trump changed his mind, however, after he was shown voter registration data from Orange County where Republicans then had an…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Gateway Center has new artwork created by artists working through their own struggles with addiction and homelessness. 48 pieces were commissioned for the space at multiple art studios in the city. What else is happening in Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta? The artists were given space and supplies to tell the stories…
It stands out among a pack of bland warehouses in Irvine, a stark blue building with half of it housing a combat sports gym since 2006. Amid the spacious mats, several heavy bags fall victim to the thudding of fists and feet against padded leather, preceded by the grunts of a dozen fighters. Colin Oyama,…
A backdoor front will bring a slight cool down Friday, before warming up again this weekend. Weather looks great, but warm, for the first weekend of Balloon Fiesta! More record and near-record warmth has returned to northern, western, and central New Mexico Thursday afternoon with highs as much as 10° to 15° warmer than normal…
Nordkorea würde laut des nordkoreanischen Machthabers Kim Jong-un im Fall eines Angriffs von Südkorea “ohne Zögern” Atomwaffen einsetzen. Nordkorea würde nach Worten von Machthaber Kim Jong Un im Fall eines Angriffs von Südkorea und dessen Verbündetem USA “ohne Zögern” Atomwaffen einsetzen. Die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur KCNA zitierte Kim am Freitag mit den Worten, dass Nordkorea bei…