National Night Out draws hundreds to Lincoln Park in East St. Louis
Over 400 residents gathered at East St. Louis’ Lincoln Park on Tuesday to eat, dance, and play for the 12th annual National Night Out.
The event mirrored similar ones in cities like Chicago by seeking to cement relationships between community leaders, public service employees and members within the community through games, awards and giveaways.
Giveaways ranged from children bicycles to box fans, and many community members received awards for public service and outstanding behavior. The event even featured a helicopter landing co-piloted by officers from St. Louis Metro and St. Louis County police departments.
“We take pride when we can land helicopters without a crime scene,” said Stephanie Taylor. Taylor serves as president of Community Development Sustainable Solutions (CDSS), an East St. Louis nonprofit, and has helped coordinate the event for 12 years.
Taylor called the event a “going away party to crime,” and leaders ranging from Mayor Charles R. Powell III to township Supervisor Ricky C. Eastern reinforced the sentiment with hopeful statistics. As reported by St. Louis Public Radio, the city of East St. Louis recently noted a 37% drop in crime.
Shavon Wilson, director of Community Development Sustainable Solutions, said managers hoped to help community members “see community leaders in a new light.”
One of the community leaders speakers referred to is Chief Kendall Perry of the East St. Louis Police Department. One of Perry’s main goals was to appeal to the city in order to reduce gun violence.
While community organizations such as Mothers Demand Action, Community Lifeline and the Sierra Club were also in attendance, none had numbers equal to that of law enforcement.
Dozens of officers from metro-east and St. Louis County police departments attended. While some played with children or tried to mingle with residents, most stood on the sidelines and watched the event unfold.
“One of our main reasons for having this event is to show we, and law enforcement, can work together,” said Jo Anne Parks, an East St. Louis city council member. Parks said police outside of St. Louis are always on patrol, while officers in East St. Louis will wave at community members as they drive by.
“They know everyone.”
This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 5:25 PM.