National Night Out Brings Cops and Community Together for Fun

A cop's job is to keep an eye out for crime. But on Tuesday night, many of them just wanted to have fun.

August 4 marked National Night Out for towns across the United States. The annual event is intended to bring communities together and raise awareness about crime prevention.

In Scotch Plains, police officers filled Alan M. Augustine Park to interact with area children through a series of games and giveaways. Kids got to play basketball, test their throwing speed and attempt to submerge an officer at the dunking booth.

Meanwhile, parents and other adults stood by to cheer them on or socialize as they waited for the original rock band Goodman Brown to begin.

Fanwood's celebration was part of its weekly summer Movie in the Park at LaGrande Park. At approximately 8 p.m., officers drove up on the field and announced that they'd brought food and drinks for the kids to enjoy. Children immediately rushed over to the cars to receive juice, granola bars and other treats. 

Take a look at the photos on the right for a view of both events.