Thursday, October 1, 2026
Freeport residents, police officers, firefighters and community organizations gathered at Bishop Frank O. White Park, located on Parsons Avenue in Freeport, for an evening focused on strengthening the bond between the community and its first responders.
Freeport has participated in National Night Out for more than 25 years, making the event a longstanding tradition in the community. This year’s event on Aug. 4, brought members of the community together for an evening of food, games and a chance to interact with local public safety officials.
Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé and Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy were among the local leaders who came to the park, formerly known as Northeast Park before being renamed after the late reverend, to show support for the event.
For Mulé, it has become an annual tradition ever since she became a legislator in 2018, participating in local National Night Out events each of the past nine years.
“I’m very pleased with the response that (this event) gets from the community and also from our police and fire departments in Freeport,” Mulé said.
Mulé added that the event provides residents with an opportunity to interact, in a more relaxed environment, with the public safety officials who serve their community.
“This event is a chance for public safety officials, police and fire departments to get together in the community for a fun time with other people so the community can see their public safety officials as accessible and people that they can go to when they need to,” she said.
Residents were able to enjoy games, food vendors and appearances from members of the Freeport police and fire departments. Police officers and firefighters also took the opportunity to address the community during the event to mention their appreciation for its support of their departments.
Kennedy said the event was expected to attract around 700 people, allowing residents and local organizations to connect. In addition to himself and Mulé, other politicians and local leaders attended, such as all four Freeport village trustees and Congresswoman Laura Gillen.
“It’s really great meeting all the people at these events,” he said. “The police are there, the fire department is there. They’re introducing themselves to all these different organizations. It’s an exciting day for a barbecue and a good time for everyone.”
National Night Out also provided an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between Freeport residents and the police department, Kennedy said. The department’s community affairs team participated in the event, continuing its efforts to maintain connections with residents throughout the year.
“It develops a good relationship between the residents and the police department,” Kennedy said. “We have three or four people just dedicated to (community) affairs to keep that continuity between the residents and the police.”
Mulé said National Night Out was previously held at Cow Meadow Park, another Freeport park, before organizers moved it to Northeast Park because of its greater accessibility to residents.
For Mulé, the goal of the event remained straightforward: helping residents see public safety officials as members of the community who are there to support them.
“Public safety officials want to help us, and they are a part of the community and want to be a part of the community,” Mulé said, explaining what she hoped residents would take away from the event.
