With tension between law enforcement and citizens at a nearly unprecedented high, this year’s event may be the most important ever. For 33 years communities have been gathering to encourage bonds between public servants and the citizens they protect. More than 16,000 communities participate in this bonding event that is typically held on a Tuesday in early August. This year Dover’s gathering will be held in Henry Law Park from 4-7 PM on August 2 and it’s free for the public, according to local radio station 105.3.
While the event is always an important one, the number of police killed recently in the nation adds to the need for building bonds. Police throughout the nation have also been accused of resorting to deadly force far too often. These accusations have exacerbated simmering tensions that have long persisted. Will the National Night Out solve these troubling issues? Of course not. But all efforts to improve community-police relations should be supported.