Thousands take part in Hoover's 2016 National Night Out event
Thousands of people showed up for Hoover’s 2016 version of the National Night Out at The Grove shopping center parking lot Tuesday night.
Hoover police Chief Nick Derzis estimated there were 6,000 to 7,000 people present for the annual event, which is designed to help build connections between the public and police and other public safety agencies.
Children and their families got to check out all kinds of law enforcement and public safety vehicles, including fire trucks, police motorcycles, helicopters, scooters, a police boat and a U.S. Army National Guard all-terrain troop transport vehicle.
Lots of equipment was on display as well, including the Hoover Police Department’s bomb robot and equipment used by the tactical team and dive team. Officers manned all the stations to explain how the equipment works.
In addition to the Hoover Police Department, other agencies taking part in the night included the Hoover Fire Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Army National Guard 167th Infantry Unit.
The Hoover Masonic Lodge No. 644 brought its child identification equipment so police officers could make child ID kits for parents that include their children’s name, photograph, fingerprints, physical description and identifying marks in case a child ever goes missing.
The two-hour event also included free hamburgers, hot dogs, snacks and drinks, inflatable activities for kids, a dunking booth and a car show.
“We wait for this all year,” said Amy Shotts, who lives off South Shades Crest Road. She and her husband, Jarrod, bring their 9-year-old son, Connor, every year, she said. It’s a great opportunity for people to meet their local law enforcement officers, and their son loves seeing anything related to the military, she said.
She works at the SuperTarget at The Grove, and Target is a national sponsor of the National Night Out initiative.