Berwyn, IL January 24, 2011 – The City of Berwyn has been selected by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) as a National Award Winner for its outstanding participation in the 27th Annual National Night Out (NNO) crime, drug, and violence prevention program on August 3, 2010. Berwyn finished tenth in the nation in its population category and was the top finisher for the State of Illinois. Other Illinois communities within the same category included Arlington Heights, Tinley Park and Orland Park. On January 25 at 8:00 p.m., Anthony Schommer from Target – Broadview, a major sponsor of National Night Out, will present the National Night Out award to Mayor Robert J. Lovero during the City Council meeting.
National Night Out is a key element in Berwyn’s commitment to a year-round effort to enhance public safety and is shared by over thirty-six million people in over fifteen thousand different communities across North America. This year, Berwyn collaborated with several federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and military and veterans groups representing the US Army, US Air Force, US Marine Corps, and VietNow. Congressman Daniel Lipinski (IL-3) attended, and the Cook County Department of Corrections and over 18 local law enforcement agencies were also represented.
With an attendance over 5,800 participants, the event benefits not only Berwyn residents but also visitors from the greater Cook County area, bringing neighbors and communities together to reduce crime, drugs and violence. In order to respond to flooding earlier in the summer, the event featured a Flood Relief Booth with representatives from the City of Berwyn and the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to answer questions and provide bottled water. What’s more, the event offered entertainment for all ages, including live music, performances by the Jesse White Tumblers and Chi-Town’s Finest Breakers, rides on the Little Obie CNN model train, and a celebratory firework display.
Mayor Robert J. Lovero stated, “When we began to plan our 2010 National Night Out event, our city was energized by the success of our prior years, which resulted in Berwyn being the top-ranked event in our class at the state level and ranked twelfth nationally in 2009. NNO 2010 turned out to be a “Perfect 10” as we scored a ranking in the top ten nationally. We are very proud to be our region’s leader for public safety programming and thank all of the local, state and federal agencies that were the foundation of this success.”
Police Chief James Ritz added, “National Night Out and our lead-in Take Back the Night Rallies demonstrate the resolve of our communities and our law enforcement to be active and collaborative in our fight against crime, violence and drugs. National Night Out’s success is a feather in the cap of our established programs in Berwyn, including Project 365 and the Citizens Police Academy. Our events are a reminder that the police department is a part of the community that it serves and is committed to working together with residents.”
Fire Chief Denis O’Halloran expanded on these sentiments, stating, “National Night Out is an excellent opportunity for the Fire Department to help educate the public on how to be fire safe. We are enthusiastic about the turnout to our Live Burn fire safety and sprinkler demonstration and the Jaws of Life extrication. By having a venue with residents, we are able to vividly illustrate our services and provide important information about our local units and the Citizens Fire Academy.”
Save the date for next year’s National Night Out on Tuesday, August 2, 2011. Berwyn will again host the event at Morton West High School at 2400 Home Avenue. For more information, visit the City of Berwyn at www.berwyn-il.gov, our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BerwynNNO or call (708) 788-8100.
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