Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) Police Department sponsored its first National Night Out on the installation Aug. 4 with the goal of building police-community relationships.

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Colleen Dibble, NSAB crime prevention officer, said the event was focused on community policing to make the police department more approachable, "instead of always being the guys writing your tickets."

"We want to help you guys out, we want to show everyone what we do," said Dibble, who organized NSAB's event.

National Night Out is a 32-year-old campaign that seeks to promote police-community partnerships to make neighborhoods safe. NSAB's event was held outside the USO Warrior and Family Center at Bethesda where NSAB police and other base organizations, and local law enforcement explained their missions and showed off police and fire vehicles.

One area that drew a crowd was the canine demonstration, where members of the U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico Security Battalion Military Working Dogs Section showed how their dogs approached subjects as well as how the dogs can locate explosives in a suitcase.

In addition to NSAB police and base organizations, several local community organizations, businesses and restaurants attended the event providing activities, information, promotional items and food.

NSAB Executive Director Bill Meekins signed a National Night Out proclamation and reminded those assembled of the "See Something, Say Something" campaign, encouraging community members to report suspicious activity if they observe it. Meekins thanked all the organizations for coming to NSAB's National Night Out event, but more importantly, for their work in providing a safe and secure community.

For more news from Naval Support Activity Bethesda, visit www.navy.mil/.