Monday, September 09, 2002

By CHRIS SAGONA

Thousands turned out for Newton’s Night Out, Tuesday, Aug. 6 in Sussex County.

“It’s fun,” said Kathy Cook of Newton, as she sat on a wooden bench, watching the passers-by view exhibits and dance to the throbbing beat of the DJ, Mumbles. “Hey, I am missing the Yankee game for this…because it is fun!”

Newton’s personal twist on the national theme is that this is a “Say goodbye to crime party.” The party was from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Spring Street with a welcome by Police Chief John Tomasula and Mayor Thea Unhoe. Among the highlights of the evening was the raffle of ten bicycles donated by Newton Wal-Mart.

The night before, Newton police officers went door to door, handing out free light bulbs for front porches and urging residents to turn out for the event.

The evening drew an estimated total of 3,500. “We are really proud of our Night Out,” said Sgt. Leo Beshada.

“There is a competition with different categories like New York and then one for towns of under 30,000. That is the category Newton is in and every year since we started, we’ve been in the top fifty. The best part of it though is the overall satisfaction of the community. But we also received a nice award. It is recognized worldwide and we receive a wooden, engraved trophy,’’ Beshada said.

And with over 9,500 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, military bases around the world, this win is no small accomplishment.

Chief Tomasula said, “A big part of Night Out is having contact with the community. It is a tool. I think the greatest untapped resource is witnesses. People are reluctant to come forward if they don’t trust you. I try to chip away at that kind of thinking at Night Out. The more people get to know you, the more they trust you, the more information you get, and the more witnesses and victims come forward.’’

One of the evening’s 30 exhibitors was Carol Boutilier of Newton Memorial Hospital. Her group offered free gun locks. “We are emergency room nurses. We see the injuries and we are trying to prevent them.’’

Another exhibitor grateful to Newton police for the event was Barbara Meltz, an exhibitor and president of the Sussex County Chapter of MADD, said, “We are all in this together. I guess it’s really like a large war with a really small army.”

Over her shoulder towered an extended, white fire ladder, 4 stories high. From atop the ladder, white flood lights and pink disco lights illuminated the asphalt dance area below. A blue and white uniformed EMS worker danced with a two-year-old dressed in red. Newton’s firefighters watched the dancing and showed children around fire trucks.

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