For the fourth consecutive year, National Night Out was an award winner for Oakdale.
The 2023 event, coordinated through the Oakdale Police Department in cooperation with community partners and ‘block party captains’ earned both state and national recognition.
“Congratulations Oakdale,” department officials noted in an announcement regarding the honors. “Once again, you have demonstrated why our community throws one of the best National Night Out (NNO) events in our country.”
For the population category (15,000 to 50,000), Oakdale placed number one in the state of California and also earned an eighth place ranking nationally.
Oakdale residents turned out for a number of gatherings on Tuesday, Aug. 1 as they helped to mark the 40th anniversary for the nationwide National Night Out in 2023.
Designed originally as a way to ‘take back the night’ from crime and drugs, the goal of NNO is to get residents out of their homes, interacting with their neighbors and first responders, getting an opportunity to visit with police, fire and ambulance personnel in a relaxed setting. City officials also are part of the entourage in Oakdale, providing an opportunity for residents to speak informally with them and ask questions about a variety of city issues and/or concerns.
The 2023 National Night Out celebrations included seven block parties in various neighborhoods, participation from OPD, Modesto Fire Department, City of Oakdale leaders, Neighborhood Watch groups, and various community leaders.
“Our generous donors included Martin-Brower Company, PepsiCo, Grocery Outlet, Oakdale Lions Club, Save Mart, Raley’s, Starbucks, Sconza, Steves Chevrolet, Haidlen Ford, A.L. Gilbert, Sourdough & Co., and the Oakdale Golf & Country Club,” department officials added.
National Night Out is an annual gathering with the mission of strengthening relationships between communities and members of law enforcement. The National Association of Town Watch (NATW) chooses its award recipients based on community participation, law enforcement participation, and overall NNO campaign.
The official rankings can be found online at http://natw.org/awards/
