McAllen police going with drive thru for 37th National Night Out

The McAllen Police Department and McAllen Crime Stoppers will hold a “drive thru” in participation of the 37 Annual National Night Out at the McAllen Municipal Park on Tuesday.

The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the park, located at 1921 N. Bicentennial Blvd. in McAllen.

Participants are encouraged to drive their vehicle up to the park in order to receive a goodie bag for children present in the vehicle.

National Night Out is held yearly on the first Tuesday in August and is a nationwide crime, drug and violence prevention program which offers participants the opportunity to meet officers who patrol neighborhoods and streets.

Crime Prevention Awareness and Neighborhood Safety Programs are the important themes of National Night Out.

“Everyone can make a difference in fighting crime,” McAllen police Chief Victor Rodriguez said in a news release. “McAllen Crime Stoppers is a valued tool for the police department in two ways: it provides information anonymously and is a community partner in events like this one.”

The departments decided on using a “drive thru” method of celebration as a way to take COVID-19 precautions, as cases are rising locally.

They encourage participants to exercise the necessary COVID-19 precautions as well and urge maximum driver safety at the event.