Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris) 
Police and the community mixed at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue as part of the City of Kentwood’s National Night Out celebration. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
By K.D. Norris
The City of Kentwood’s National Night Out community celebration this week had police and other city personal at more than 15 locations throughout the city, but events at three local churches clearly showed a shared desire to engage the community after a long period of pandemic distancing.
On the evening of Aug. 3, at Ada Bible Church on East Paris Avenue — which along with Faith Baptist Church and Pentecostals Church on 44th Street hosted special large scale events — Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Ada Bible pastor Jason Ross talked to WKTV about their shared focus on the community.
“What we share, is we desire to connect with the community in a positive way,” pastor Ross said. “We can do that as a church. We can also do that with the people, within Ada Bible Church, as well as in the community. … We want you to feel like you are welcome here.”
Pastor Ross also talked about his and his church’s appreciation of the Kentwood Police Department. (See a WKTV video here for an expanded discussion.)
Chief Roberts also talked about the shared focus and the great opportunity of interacting with the community at local churches.
“We are privileged to be invited to Ada Bible Church … This just gives us a great opportunity, especially given this past year, for us to all come out and celebrate in a special way on National Night Out,” Chief Roberts said.
(For an expanded discussion with Chief Roberts, see a WKTV video here.)
The City of Kentwood was truly bustling with block parties, neighborhood events and other activities — including a special presence at Woodland Mall — on National Night Out, a nationwide annual event that “promotes community-police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer.”
Kentwood police officers, firefighters and city leaders joined residents, who had the opportunity to explore police cruisers, fire engines and other emergency response vehicles at events, as well as learn about a variety of safety topics.
“Positive interactions with residents are invaluable for fostering strong community relationships and safer neighborhoods,” Chief Roberts previously said in supplied material. “National Night Out creates a wonderful opportunity to bring officers and community members together in a fun and relaxing setting. Members of our department always look forward to getting to know residents better and encourage more open lines of communication.”
National Night Out was created in the 1980s through an established network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers across the nation. It began with a goal to promote safer, better neighborhoods by uniting community members and police against neighborhood crimes.
