CHICOPEE — The Chicopee Police Department is celebrating an exciting milestone as the city’s National Night Out climbed to 13th place in the country this year. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of city departments, community members and organizers who collaborated to make the event a resounding success.
“We are very excited to be ranked No. 13 this year,” said Officer Travis Odiorne, public information officer for the Chicopee Police Department. “A lot goes into planning this event every year, and to see that we were nationally recognized is a huge accomplishment. It goes without saying that the continued support from our community is amazing. We had over 3,000 people come out to take part in the festivities this year, and we look forward to more next year.”
The success of Chicopee’s National Night Out is a testament to the teamwork and dedication of various city departments. Odiorne emphasized the collaborative nature of the event.
“This event is planned with the cooperation of all of the department heads or their representatives,” explained Odiorne. “While it is a night to recognize law enforcement in the community, it takes every facet of the city to pull it off.”
The Mayor’s Office played a key role in organizing vendors and mapping out their locations around the park. The Parks Department ensured the venue was in top shape, handling everything from mowing to debris removal and scheduling conflicts. The DPW arranged for additional trash receptacles and portable restrooms, while also taking care of post-event cleanup. The Fire Department ensured safety by stationing EMTs and firefighters on-site, and the Emergency Management Team helped with vendor setup and logistics.
National Night Out is an essential opportunity for Chicopee residents to engage with law enforcement and first responders in a positive, approachable setting.
“Kids get to sit in cruisers, play with the lights and sirens, and see our special response team and K-9 units,” Odiorne said. “This allows us the opportunity to break the barrier with the community, so if we are called to a crisis at a later time, they know we are there to help, they have seen us outside of the norm of police work and realize that there is a positive side to policing.”
The event also featured booths from local support agencies offering information on resources like food, housing and job assistance — resources that many residents may not have been aware of.
This year’s National Night Out offered something for everyone, including K-9 demonstrations, a helicopter flyover and landing, a chicken wing eating contest, free food and giveaways, and a moving candlelight walk down Chicopee Street to close the night.
Organizers are already looking ahead to 2025 with hopes of climbing even higher in the national rankings. Over the past two years, the event has expanded to include more vendors and entertainment, and the team continues to gather feedback from attendees to make future events even better.
“It’s hard to say what is most enjoyable about the event because there is so much going on,” Odiorne said.
