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Don’t Forget To Join Us Tonight For Petaluma Night Out!

In the wake of Sonoma County communities rebuilding their lives post three devastating evacuation fire seasons and through COVID -19 pandemic conditions, the National Night Out event has never been more relevant in building community cohesion and neighborhood solidarity. While NNO began 38 years ago in 1984 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, involving 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states, its intent to develop positive, productive relationships between law enforcement agencies and the people they serve is still true today.

Understanding the power that in-person, face-to-face conversations have in building robust communities that are safer, healthier and work together to address many of life’s challenging issues, the City of Petaluma and the Petaluma Police Department joined together to host Petaluma Night Out on August 2nd, 4 PM-7 PM at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. Rebranding the NNO event to PNO, stakeholders wanted the message to be clear that increasing public safety and ensuring that all city departments serve their diverse and unique communities is directly related to having strong community involvement.
 
As described by Deputy Chief Brian Miller, “The Petaluma Police Department is excited to join community members at Petaluma Night Out as we work together to promote unity and safety throughout town.  As an organization, we believe that building relationships and engaging our community is one of the most effective strategies to improve safety and ensure everyone has an opportunity to thrive here in Petaluma.  We look forward to meeting with individuals and sharing how we provide professional police services and how we are prepared for any emergency situation that may arise. We look forward to sharing the evening with the entire community and welcome everyone to join us at Petaluma Night Out!”
 
Collaborating with over 30 local not-for-profit organizations, city departments, and several first responder agencies, this year’s Petaluma Night Out event will provide guests with informational booths on topics that range from mental and physical health, senior and youth advocacy, emergency preparation, philanthropic clubs, allied community partners, and environmental conservation.
 
"Strong relationships are our most valuable resource as we work to build a safe and sustainable future. Cool Petaluma is excited for this opportunity to engage with more of the community and share ideas on how we can protect each other and the planet by taking action block-by-block, neighborhood-by-neighborhood," said Cool Petaluma’s Campaign Director, Natasha Juliana.
 
Capitalizing on this vital opportunity to educate our community members on the emergency resources available and the agencies that serve Sonoma County, Petaluma Police Department, Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol, Sonoma County Sheriff, and Petaluma Fire Department will be hosting tours and offering emergency demonstrations.
 
“In public safety, we must understand the priorities and needs of those we serve. We must also have a positive relationship and the ability to communicate with our public safety providers. Petaluma Night Out is a fantastic opportunity for public safety to accomplish these essential goals. Interacting with our constituents allows us to listen while showing them more about what we do and how we do it. It’s a beautiful opportunity for us to grow and move forward together,” said Assistant Fire Chief of Petaluma, Chad Costa.
 
Dedicated to ensuring this year’s PNO inspires a culture of inclusivity and a sense that “we are in this together,” the city has generously donated free food from “What a Chicken” food truck and Kona Ice deserts. Children's activities, giveaways, swag, and safety supplies will be available to community members of all ages who attend.

“We are thrilled to be hosting another Petaluma Night Out this year,” said Peggy Flynn, City Manager for the City of Petaluma. “Not only is this a chance for us to welcome our community for an evening of fun, food, and togetherness, it’s a great way for Petalumans to gain a hands-on understanding of the way the City is working to serve them and the ways in which we can work together to keep each other safe. Our Police department, Fire department, and countless other City staff are on call 24/7 to serve our community. This is a great opportunity to look behind the curtain. Plus, it’s pretty cool for kids to see first responder vehicles like police and fire trucks up close!”
 
To learn more about National Night Out that inspired PNO, please visit the link: https://natw.org/