National Night Out 2023: Chicago police, communities come together to forge bonds

CHICAGO (WLS) -- National Night Out brings together communities and their police forces, and on the Far South Side it provided some healing for CPD officers still mourning the death of Officer Areanah Preston.

Preston was shot and killed as she returned home, in uniform, from the 5th Police District in May.

Preston's family, her police family, and the people she served refuse to let her be forgotten.

"Most importantly she was a person, the police was just her job," said her mother Donne Mhoon.

At its core, that's what the National Night Out is about: helping communities understand that police are people in uniform. That's why many officers swapped their badges for t-shirts.

"We want them to feel comfortable, that they can come talk to us about anything. Even if it's nothing related to law enforcement, just an opportunity to meet the officers," said 5th District Commander Tyrone Pendarvis.

"I see a lot of people that really want to engage with each other," said Antione Dicedobine, of Hands around the Hundreds Far South Chicago Coalition. "On these blocks we got people coming out of houses and not even speaking to each other. You have to put them in an atmosphere."

Police districts hosted events in every corner of the city and across the country tonight. Interim CPD Superintendent Fred Waller stopped at several of them.

"The relationships that we build from this day forward really count. This is just one day, but the relationships go further than just one day," he said.

In the comfort of a carnival, it's a lot easier to build a bond.

"To show them we are all equal, all human and we can all come together and have a good time," said 5th District resident Fritzlene Atwood.

ABC7 reached out to Mayor Brandon Johnson's office and he didn't have any National Night Out events on his public schedule, but he did appear at an unrelated event Tuesday evening.