National Night Out brings police, community together in South County

Bridging the gap between police and the community — that’s the goal of National Night Out, especially in places like south Monterey County.

“It gives the kids an opportunity to see that we’re real people, that we’re friendly and here to work with them and help them,” Soledad Police Chief Eric Sills said.

A perception of police officers often starts young. That’s why Joe Gonzales with the YMCA said it’s significant that the event was at the South County YMCA.

“It’s just I think helps kind of break that cycle of kids fearing the police,” Gonzales said.

Born and raised in Soledad, Gonzales said that is something he knew first hand and still sees at the YMCA.

“I grew up you know sometimes not sure about what the cops were about and only kind of seeing them take bad guys away and not see them in a different light or different role,” Gonzales said.

But with National Night Out a success in Soledad, Gonzales and Sills feel it’s a step in the right direction.

“It takes everybody working together as a team to prevent and solve crime,” Sills said.