On Monday, July 31, thousands of Montgomery County residents attended the 23rd annual Abington Township Pre-National Night Out.

National Night Out has been an annual tradition for almost 40 years. It is a chance for law enforcement officers to engage with the community, writes Aziza Shuler for CBS News Philadelphia.

The pre-National Night Event in Abington allows police departments throughout Montgomery County to bridge the gaps between residents and those who serve and protect them.

“We love to take advantage of it, get to know some of the ones we haven’t seen before. Get to know some of our new residents and see some of our old residents,” Lt. Kevin Magee of the Abington Police Department said.

The event took place at the Abington Town Center. Children had the chance to hop inside an armored police vehicle and explore emergency equipment gadgets and mock FBI crime scene evidence.

It wasn’t just about fun and games though. Both the pre-event and the National Night Out which happens every first Tuesday of August are opportunities for families to have meaningful conversations with police officers.

On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Police Department hosted night-out events throughout the city.

Read more about the special event at CBS News Philadelphia.

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