WORCESTER, Mass. - For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Worcester Police Department hosted a "National Night Out" event Tuesday at Fuller Family Park. 

National Night Out is held in collaboration with the city, the Worcester County Sheriff's Office and the Worcester County District Attorney's Office. It's part of a national and annual crime prevention event aimed at promoting community building and police-community partnerships to make neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live. 

"We're one community, we look out for each other,” said Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis. “We just want to live in a safe great community where people can go to school, raise a family, open a business, and this is the celebration we look forward to coming together."

"Working together, collaborating, to let people know they can lean on us they can talk to us,” said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. “But it really was a take back your neighborhood night, but now it's just like emphasizing get out into the neighborhood, care about each other."

Several different police units conducted demonstrations giving residents an idea of what officers do on a daily basis. 

"It's a great event,” said Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent. “I'm so happy to bring the community together. They get to see us in a different light and these kids are going to have a blast today."