National Night Out will be celebrated again in Riverbank, on Tuesday, Aug. 6, in Silva Park in Crossroads. The observance is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at 5800 Antique Rose Way.

The evening features a number of exhibits from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department/Riverbank Police Services. Units like the Bomb Squad, K-9 Officers, SWAT Team, the Sheriff’s Mounted Unit, and others are scheduled to be on hand. Members of Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Department’s Station 26 – affiliated with the Modesto Fire Department – also participate.

The annual community event even features free food, drinks and sweets for the attendees and includes games for all ages.

An added bonus in recent years has become a fly-in by the Sheriff’s Air Squad and helicopter. Last year, Sheriff Jeff Dirkse and his wife arrived at Silva Park via helicopter and took time to visit with residents.

The single location event has developed over the years from when officers and crews would come visit the local Neighborhood Watch areas scattered around town. At first there were just a few, then so many that the Police Chief had to split up his crews into two caravans. It caught on so much that driving from neighborhood to neighborhood took more time than was able to be spent with the watch units.

Several years ago, Riverbank Police Chief Ed Ridenour developed the new plan of using only the one location, consolidating all his efforts in one place. And, he said, it allowed his officers more time to talk with residents.

It also allowed for the landing of the helicopter in the water retention basin at the park.

National Night Out was first introduced in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW); events are now held throughout all 50 states and on military bases worldwide.