68th Precinct Night Out fills Shore Road Park with music and merriment
Thousands of local residents descended on Shore Road Park at 79th Street for the 68th Precinct’s annual Night Out event, which featured free food, a concert from a Four Seasons tribute band, kids’ activities and giveaways from area companies.
The “love-fest,” as the precinct’s commanding officer Captain Raymond Festino called the gathering, was held on Tuesday, August 4, beginning at 6 p.m., bringing together cops and community – the goal of the 31-year-old event, started in 1984 as a visible demonstration of the unity, as the two strove to “take the streets back” in a time when crime was more prevalent.
Night Out “commemorates the very successful collaboration between the police officers in the 68th Precinct and the community members,” stressed the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Management and Budget Vincent Grippo. “We are here to thank you and to pledge our continued support.”