Key West The Newspaper

National Night Out – Mark your calendars and have some fun!

On Tuesday, August 2nd, the Sheriff’s Office will sponsor National Night Out events in the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys. All of the events will feature food, refreshments, and a great chance to meet your neighbors, members of the Sheriff’s Office from a wide variety of divisions, departments and special teams and many others who are involved in the field of public safety here in the Florida Keys.

The goal of National Night Out is to bring the community together to discuss how we can all make our neighborhoods cleaner, safer and more secure. The Sheriff’s Office will have crime prevention information to share at the event. Community members will learn how to heighten their crime and drug prevention awareness.

The Sheriff’s Office hopes to generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Everyone participating will send a message to criminals letting them know that Monroe County neighborhoods are organized and fighting back against crime.

“This yearly event is an important one for our agency. We get the opportunity to meet the people we are charged with serving and protecting in a less formal, more fun setting,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “I hope everyone will take this opportunity to meet their neighbors, learn about crime prevention and meet the deputies who are out there patrolling our community and keeping it safe,” he said.

The Key Largo event will be Tuesday, August 2nd from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Key Largo Community Park. Captain Don Fanelli and Lieutenant Al Ramirez want to invite the entire community to attend their free event. Members of the Sheriff’s Office will be on hand, along with others from the public safety community including Florida Highway Patrol, Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Key Largo and Tavernier Fire and EMS; there will be food donated and prepared by Smoking Eddy’s BBQ, refreshments, a local band will play music and everyone will have lots of fun.

The Islamorada National Night Out event will be held at Founder’s Park in Islamorada Tuesday, August 2nd at 5:30 p.m. Captain Corey Bryan and Lt. David Carey invite everyone to join them and have some fun. Visit with members of the Sheriff’s Office, Islamorada Fire/Rescue and other public safety and community groups. There will be free food – hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken – and refreshments.

The Marathon event will be held on Tuesday, August 2nd from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Stanley Switlik School. Captain Gene Thompson and Lt. Derek Paul invite everyone to join them and have some fun. There will be free food and refreshments, live music and residents will be able to visit many law enforcement, public safety and community groups at the event.

The Stock Island event will be at Sheriffs Headquarters Building, 5525 College Road on Stock Island, Tuesday, August 2nd from 5 – 7 p.m. Captain Don Hiller and Lieutenant Donnie Catala want to welcome the Lower Keys community to come on out for a great time. There will be free food and refreshments and a wide variety of law enforcement and other public safety agencies will be on hand to talk with community members. The Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm will be open to the public during this event!