When Glencoe brought back a local version of National Night Out, it was a chance for residents to have something to eat, play games and gawk at the public safety department equipment.
On the flip side, local officials viewed it as an educational avenue as National Night Out is an annual event allowing residents to learn about and interact with their local law enforcement agencies.
“It is an opportunity to build relationships between the department and the community and let people meet people face to face and ask questions and learn about what the department does,” Village Manager Phil Kiraly said.
On a breezy evening of Aug. 6th, the village and Glencoe Park District co-hosted the two-hour event on Park Avenue, steps away from Glencoe Beach.
“National Night Out is an excellent opportunity to promote positive relationships, raise awareness about safety, and celebrate our vibrant community. We believe that working together on events like this helps build a safer, more connected Glencoe,” added Park District Executive Director Lisa Sheppard in an email.
Kiraly said Glencoe had not had a National Night Out for at least a decade due to not having enough personnel. However, village officials decided to bring it back in 2024, less than a year after the hiring of Sean Loughran as the new public safety director.
Loughran, who previously worked for the Chicago Police Department, participated in many National Nights Out when he was in the city. Glencoe wanted to tap into that experience.
“When Sean started one of the first things we talked about was continuing to just build out opportunities for the community to interact with the department,” Kiraly said.
Loughran liked the idea.
“Any community engagement is a great opportunity to get to know the public,” he said. “This is a great venue for it.”
Those who stopped by over the two hours could eat hot dogs, play games and get first hand looks at the public safety department equipment including a drone, fire trucks, and even a Keiser sledge, a type of sledgehammer. Public safety personnel detailed how the equipment is used.
“We always think it is always about the kids who love to see the fire engines,” Kiraly said. “Parents love to see them to and there is no mystery to it. The department is loved by the community and it is a good opportunity to just show them what the department does every day.”
Rabbi Sholom Wolberg stopped off with his children, Mendel 4 ½ and Rivkah 5 ½, who looked at the vehicles and machinery and also got a chance to play some cornhole.
“We wanted to say thank you to law enforcement,” Wolberg said. “They do so much for our community. For the kids it is always beautiful to engage with their friends and neighbors and teach them to be grateful.”
Besides the show-and-tell aspect of the equipment, it was also a chance for residents to ask questions.
Loughran talked to one couple about how Glencoe has a public safety department whose officers are cross-trained filling both the police and firefighter roles. (Glencoe and Rosemont are the only local communities to operate that way.)
“When you dial 911 for a medical emergency, don’t be surprised what a police car shows up,” Loughran recalled telling them. “That is actually a paramedic that is going to assist the ambulance when they show up.”
Alexandra and Sidney Roth, Glencoe residents for 38 years, stopped by and asked some questions.
“I am really happy to see this, it is something we should have more of in the village,” Sidney Roth said.
He said he asked Loughran about crime and how they can protect themselves.
“We’re both retired and we are both senior citizens,” he said. “It is a concern. He is very aware of these things and I glad to see that. They are very proactive in the village and that is a good thing.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
