The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is joining forces with residents across Collier County for a month-long celebration to promote community safety.
Celebrating Safe Communities is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
Starting Tuesday and throughout October CCSO is celebrating the fight against crime by hosting free events and activities that bring neighborhoods, communities, businesses, and law enforcement together. There will be an array of CCSO displays, demonstrations and information. There will also be cookouts, refreshments, pony rides, bounce houses, face painting and rock wall climbing.
Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said the safety of Collier County depends on law enforcement and the residents of the neighborhoods and communities working together. The Sheriff has long held the belief that nobody knows a community and its needs better than the people who live there.
“The community makes the community safe,” the Sheriff said.
Celebrating Safe Communities kicks off Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Everglades City. Starting at 4 p.m. the CCSO Crime Prevention Section will have a table with safety information set up at Everglades City Hall. Free refreshments will also be available.
At 5:30 p.m. Mayor Sammy Hamilton Jr. is scheduled to read a proclamation at the Everglades City Council meeting declaring this week “CCSO Safe Communities Week.’’
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. residents are invited to join deputies the corner of Church Street and Turnstile Lane in Copeland for a cookout. Deputies will grill hot dogs and serve refreshments under a white tent. The event will also feature giveaways. Brochures and fliers with safety information will be available at the CCSO information booth.
Here’s a look at upcoming Celebrating Safe Communities events around Collier County. All of the events are free and open to the public:
NORTH NAPLES
Oct. 22: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Lock-Up Self Storage, 1025 Piper Blvd. Festivities will include a K-9 Unit demo, a North Naples Fire Department demo, and the Mobile Crime Scene Lab. There will also be a bounce house for kids and food from area restaurants including CiCi’s Pizza, Mangino’s Pizzeria and Fred’s Diner.
GOLDEN GATE
Oct. 24: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway. This event will feature demonstrations by SWAT and the Bomb Squad, the Golden Gate fire safety house and fire truck, and a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission airboat and alligator. Representatives from Collier County Code Enforcement, Drug Free Collier, Youth Haven, and the Women’s Shelter of Naples will be on hand. Activities will include face painting, rock wall climbing, pony rides, a dunk tank, and a bounce house. Hot dogs, lemonade and sno cones will be served.
EVERGLADES
Oct. 24: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The CCSO Crime Prevention tent will be set up on Smallwood Drive near Demere Lane. There will be brochures and fliers with safety information, giveaways and refreshments.
Oct. 26: 10 a.m. to noon. Operation Medicine Cabinet outside Everglades City Hall. Residents can protect their family by ridding their medicine cabinet of unused, unnecessary or expired medication.
EAST NAPLES
Oct. 24: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at East Naples Community Park, 3500 Thomasson Lane. CCSO deputies will be joined by representatives from Drug Free Collier, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Collier County Code Enforcement, Bayshore Community Redevelopment Agency, and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. There also will be face painting, temporary tattoos, and refreshments.
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES
Oct. 24: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Florida Forest Service office at 710 Randall Blvd. CCSO deputies will be joined by troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol who will bring their vehicle rollover simulator. Representatives from the Big Corkscrew Fire Department and Collier County Code Enforcement will also be on hand. Local locksmiths and gun safety experts will also be on hand. The event will also feature a presentation by deputies on marijuana grow houses. Smokey Bear will be there. CCSO all-terrain vehicles will be on display and information on ATV safety. Hot dogs and refreshments will be served.
IMMOKALEE
Oct. 24: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Crestview Park Apartments, 715 Crestview Drive. Crime Prevention deputies and McGruff the Crime Dog will be on hand to talk to parents and youngsters about Neighborhood Watch, stranger danger and gun safety. Deputies will host a bicycle safety course and offer pedestrian safety tips. Food and refreshments will be provided.
