Upper Marlboro Celebrates National Night Out

Upper Marlboro residents danced and ate free food as jazz and hip-hop blared through the speakers during Aug. 2’s National Night Out in the Villages of Marlborough Shopping Center.

The National Association of Town Watch started the annual National Night Out in 1984 to bolster crime awareness and create familiarity between residents and police officers across the United States.

This year, Upper Marlboro’s National Night Out was organized by Community Service Area 23 Leadership Council, an organization made up of volunteers from different neighborhood groups in Upper Marlboro.

During National Night Out, residents can meet officers in a positive situation, said Prince George’s County Assistant State’s Attorney Allison Green.

“A lot of times when people call the police, it’s because something negative’s happening,” she said. “It could be an argument, it could be because your neighbor’s making noise. It’s a different thing when an officer is talking to a little kid. A lot of people don’t get to see that.”

Prince George’s County District 2 Cpl. Clarence Jackson said the National Night Out lessens some people’s skepticism of police: “Some people see a lot of things and they’re scared to call.”

But people feel more comfortable about sharing information about their neighborhood when they can talk to officers in a personal setting, Jackson said. Moreover, officers can brief residents on how to observe and report crime. In years’ past, Prince George’s County police officers have gotten leads from National Night Out attendees, Jackson said.

Prince George’s County District 2 Cpl. Nathan Rogers said the National Night Out also helps build residents’ confidence in local police forces.

“It helps the community realize that police aren’t just the people who you see come to your neighborhood to make a report or lock someone up,” Rogers said. “We’re actually humans, too. We come out, and we live in the community just like you do. We want to see you be prosperous, too.”

Upper Marlboro resident Dimitri Nassar said the National Night Out helps foster a sense of community well-being and builds solidarity between community members. “In big neighborhoods, it’s hard to even get out and meet your neighbors, so things like this are always helpful.” Nassar said. “I saw a lot of old friends.”

While Upper Marlboro resident Gloria Nelson-Johnson said she learned new things about her community, she added that the event could have had a bigger impact if more people knew about it.

Nassar noted that he’d like to see the event better publicized in the future, suggesting that more signs be put up near the venue. 

About 150 people attended Upper Marlboro’s National Night Out, said co-organizer Delton Turman, chairman of the CSA 23 Leadership Council. Turman said he had hoped more people would come, but added that the event succeeded in its purpose because people mingled with police officers.

Upper Marlboro National Night Out sponsors ranged from State Farm to the Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources. The event featured free chicken and hot dogs donated by the Dutch Village Farmers market, a self-defense demonstration put on by Shaolin Kung Fu Academy and a police helicopter.