Hoffman Estates Police host annual Night Out

The Hoffman Estates Police Department hosted a National Night Out Against Crime event at its headquarters on Higgins Road Tuesday evening.

The three-hour gathering included hot dogs, chips, drinks and cookies handed out by members of Church of the Cross, which shares parking lot space with the police department.

There were about a dozen local business booths drawing hundreds of residents to take tours of the police facility and several first responder vehicles lining the parking lot. Children tried on Kevlar vests and helmets and climbed into the “Bearcat” rescue truck. Officer Kim Sterkowicz flew a drone overhead, despite the steady drizzle, from the back of her police truck dedicated to transporting the unit and a large monitor to view the video it produces live.

The Hoffman Estates Fire Department also had a ladder truck and several firefighters on hand to talk about their jobs in the community.

National Night Out is celebrated across the country on the first Tuesday in August each year. Law enforcement agencies and first responders gather with other local groups to promote camaraderie, crime prevention and partnerships among groups and agencies.