Message from Councilman Roshan White | July 29, 2021

Very soon, it will be the first Tuesday in August.

Since 1984, that day on the calendar has signaled National Night Out, which we proudly celebrate every year in Scotch Plains. It began simply with neighbors turning on their porch lights and sitting in front of their homes.

The first National Night Out involved 2.5 million residents across 400 communities in 23 states; National Night Out now includes 38 million residents in 16,000 communities across the United States.

There are nearly 200 municipalities in New Jersey who celebrate the night.

In Scotch Plains, our police department uses this annual opportunity to increase awareness of the many programs and services that are offered, such as drug prevention, community policing, pedestrian safety and the latest in anti-crime efforts in Scotch Plains.

I hope you will join town leaders at the Alan Augustine Village Green on Tuesday, Aug. 3 from 6-9 p.m. Our police will be providing demonstrations of various equipment – including the SWAT vehicles, motorcycles, patrol cars and ATVs – which is always popular for the children.

The police will be will be joined by the fire department and the rescue squad, as well as informational tables from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Municipal Alliance and the TRHT Committee.

We always try to create the feel of a big block party, including live music courtesy of “The Broadcasters,” hot dogs, a bicycle registration initiative and, as always, tons of giveaways.

So please attend National Night Out with your family and friends, as we work together to further enhance the relationship between neighbors and our first responders, while nurturing a true sense of community.

To learn more about National Night Out – and its positive impact across America – I encourage you to visit natw.org.

See you on the village green!