Neighborhoods across Alexandria came together Aug. 4 for National Night Out, an annual community-building event designed to strengthen relationships between residents and public safety agencies. This year’s celebration marked a record level of participation, with 54 registered events taking place throughout the city.

From Old Town and Del Ray to the West End, residents gathered at block parties, cookouts, ice cream socials, and community meetups aimed at fostering stronger neighborhood connections and promoting public safety awareness. National Night Out is a nationwide campaign that encourages community engagement and partnership with local law enforcement and emergency services.

“National Night Out is a great opportunity for the community to interact with agencies in a positive way,” said Sheriff Sean Casey. “That’s how you build relationships, that’s how you earn trust in the community and that is very important to the sheriff, police and fire departments.”

Officers from the Alexandria Police Department visited participating locations throughout the evening, accompanied by members of the department’s K-9 Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Bike Patrol, command staff and patrol teams. Representatives from the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Fire Department, Department of Emergency and Customer Communications and other city agencies also participated in community events citywide.

City officials said the record turnout reflects Alexandria’s continued commitment to neighborhood engagement and public safety partnerships. Alexandria was recognized in 2025 as one of the top 15 National Night Out communities in the United States among communities of similar size, a distinction city leaders say highlights the success of local collaboration efforts.

“We continue to expand our community engagement in Alexandria,” said Police Chief Tarrick McGuire. “Diversity is not only about race, but also about culture and each community has a culture. We are seeking innovative ways to build relationships, to talk to people in non-stressful environments and build camaraderie and friendship.”

A new feature of this year’s celebration was a community dog walk in Del Ray led by Chief McGuire and Alexandria Police officers. The event highlighted the department’s Dog Walker Watch program, which encourages residents to serve as extra eyes and ears in their neighborhoods while walking their pets.

Members of the Alexandria Radio Club were on hand with equipment used for emergency communications. 

“We are a group of amateur radio members and among many things we serve as a communications team during city parades,” said club president Aaron Kahn. “We work in conjunction with the Alexandria emergency center as backup communications for the greater Washington area.”

Organizers say National Night Out is about more than a single evening of festivities. The event is intended to build trust between residents and first responders, create stronger neighborhood networks, and encourage a shared responsibility for community safety.

As families enjoyed food, games, music, and conversations with neighbors and public safety personnel, the evening reinforced Alexandria’s theme for the event: “One Community. One Night. One Alexandria.”

“This has been a great opportunity to get out and meet the community,” said Fire Chief Filipe Hernandez. “We enjoy great conversations and are here to show residents that we are here for them.”