Local agencies unite for National Night Out

It was a celebration of local law enforcement at Wasco's National Night Out last week, as agencies from Wasco, Shafter, Avenal, McFarland, Arvin, the Kern County Probation Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation joined together in a show of unity with residents. The newly renovated downtown along 7th Street and the plaza in Wasco provided the setting for the festive block party.

The event featured a variety of attractions, including food vendors, free hot dogs courtesy of Grocery Outlet, complimentary cotton candy, inflatable jousting games for kids, face painting, train rides, a dancing robot and lively music by DJ Manny Gee. The Bakersfield Police Department showcased their "Life Interrupted" car crash exhibit to highlight the dangers of drunk driving, while Hall Ambulance provided CPR demonstrations. Information booths from organizations such as the Kern County Behavioral Health Recovery Services and the Army National Guard were also present.

Lieutenant Alecio Mora expressed satisfaction with the turnout, saying the event successfully connected the Wasco Police Department with residents. "The community approached us, showed their support, asked questions and took photos. Many shared how pleased they were with our presence, and hearing that repeatedly makes me very happy. It makes me feel like we're moving in the right direction."

The event took a lot of planning and collaboration among all city departments, Assistant City Manager Maria Lara said, with Sergeant Lloyd Galutira, Lieutenant Alecio Mora and Chief of Police Charles Fivecoat leading the way.

Chief Fivecoat said, "It brings the police departments and the citizens we serve together and builds trust between us and the community." He added that events like this help spread the message that the WPD is there for its citizens with a mission to protect them.

A highlight of the event was the many agency leaders who attended. "All of these chiefs came here because they believe in community, and they all work together to merge our communities."

Arvin Chief of Police Alex Ghazalpour shared, "Our agency's support for each other, especially for Chief Fivecoat, is instrumental. For all of us chiefs to work together, we have the same issues that all the other towns do, and to be able to work together, instill camaraderie and bring world-class law enforcement services to our community is what this profession is all about."

Another chief who made the four-hour round trip to attend the event, Ridgecrest Chief of Police Mario Ysit, said, "It's important for all of the agencies in Kern County to support each other. It's also valuable to talk to people from other communities and hear their perspectives on things. And anytime you can spend time with Chief Fivecoat, you're guaranteed to learn something because he is a legend in the policing community. He's a superstar."

Wasco Recreation and Parks District Manager Chris Serna commended the WPD and the City of Wasco, saying they did a great job putting the event together. "We hope to see a lot more downtown events."