National Night Out event brings community together with county officials

Clark County officials are looking to residents to help make their community safer.

County Commissioner Susan Brager hosted the 29th annual National Night Out event Aug. 7 at Desert Breeze Park, 8275 Spring Mountain Road.

The yearly nationwide event aims to promote safer neighborhoods and communities through cooperation between residents and local agencies such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Fire departments.

Detective James Harris, a member of the Clark County School District police force gang unit, was on hand to provide attendees with information about the unit's efforts in the community.

"This is what we do. We're all about families and family connections," he said. "We love to be able to connect with members of the community and show them that police are approachable."

The school district's police were handing out child safety identification cards to parents, which enable parents to have their child's fingerprints, DNA sample and personal information on hand in case of an emergency.

Capt. Steven Hetterscheidt of the Clark County Fire Department, who was giving tours of his rig during the event, said the event demonstrated a sense of community in Las Vegas.

"We're all in this together," he said. "They help us. We help them. We like doing this kind of thing."

Brager said the event also serves a simpler purpose, which is to get people out of their homes and interacting with their neighbors.

"It lets you know we are a community," she said. "The Strip is extraordinary, but this is the real Las Vegas."

More than a dozen vendors and booths set up by county and city agencies to promote health and safety were on hand.

"There's such a family atmosphere out here," said southwest resident Christy Miller, who brought her 5-year-old son Cody to see the service vehicles.

For information about future National Night Out events, visit lvmpd.com/protectyourself/crimeprevention.aspx or natw.org.

Contact Southwest/Spring Valley View reporter Nolan Lister at nlister@viewnews.com or 383-0492.