San Francisco police chief, mayor take part in 'National Night Out'

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Tuesday is "National Night Out," a night when police officers and the communities they patrol come together to get to know each other and hopefully build trust. This year, the night takes on extra importance in light of controversial police shootings across the country.

At the National Night Out in the Bayview District there was a healing circle and a positive attitude.

"At the end of the day, what we want is our children to come home safe and we want the officers to go home safe to their families as well and I think we're on the path of that," said Bayview resident Mattie Scott.

RELATED: 'National Night Out' events take place in Oakland

Acting Chief Toney Chaplin acknowledged, what he called, a "noticeable gap" between law enforcement and some communities, but said this about San Francisco.

"I think in San Francisco we've enjoyed a good partnership with the communities we police and contrary to what's happening nationally, we still enjoy those partnerships and I think we've strengthened them in a lot of neighborhoods and the Bayview is definitely one of them," Chaplin said.

Mayor Ed Lee made an appearance at the Bayview event. He said National Night Out is important, as are the changes being made to the San Francisco Police Department.

"We're putting body cameras on people and we have more examples of how the sanctity of life should be the primary policy," Lee said.

In North Beach, at the Central Police Station event, families were eager to spend time with their officers.

"Getting out and playing, getting in a police car and really making sure they're comfortable with police officers is important," said North Beach resident Christine Welland.

"I've been through a lot of hard stuff and I know that making connections with people that can help you, it's really important," said 12-year-old Edith Boch.

All 10 police districts in San Francisco hosted National Night Out events.

National Night out events in the Bay Area:

3 p.m.: NNO kick-off event in San Pablo, Davis Park, Folsom Avenue and 17th Street, San Pablo

4 p.m.: NNO event hosted by the Colma police department, Serra Center parking lot, 5001 Junipero Serra Blvd., Colma.

4 p.m.: BART National Night Out presence at six stations: Ashby, Castro Valley, Montgomery, Pittsburg/Bay Point, Rockridge, San Bruno.

4 p.m. NNO Salinas, hosted by the city of Salinas and the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace, Constitution Soccer Fields, 1440 Constitution Blvd., Salinas.

5 p.m.: NNO potluck dinner at St. Vinnie's Community Garden in Vallejo, 1200 Marin St.

5 p.m.: NNO event at Pittsburg's Small World Park, 2551 Harbor St., Pittsburg.

5 p.m.: NNO celebration at the Rohnert Park City Center, 475 City Center Drive.

5 p.m.: Ice cream social event at the Regional Medical Center of San Jose, helipad, 225 N. Jackson Ave., San Jose.

5 p.m.: San Francisco police department sponsored NNO events at

The following locations: Central District, Salesian Playground, 680 Filbert

St.; Southern District, Victoria Manalo Draves Park, between Sixth and

Seventh streets and Folsom and Harrison Streets; Treasure Island, Mariner

Drive and Gateview Avenue; Bayview District, MLK/Bayview Playground, Third

Street and Armstrong Avenue; Mission District (5:30 p.m.), Mission Police

Station, 630 Valencia St.; Northern District (5:30 p.m.), Ella Hill Hutch

Community Center, 1050 McAllister St.

5:30 p.m.: Oakland City officials, including Mayor Libby Schaaf, Fire chief Teresa Reed and Deputy Police Chief John Lois will gather before fanning out through the city for NNO events.

6 p.m.: Kick-off event at San Bruno's Grundy Park, 567 El Camino Real.

6 p.m.: Resource Fair at Emmanuel Temple Church in Vallejo, 900 Sixth St.

6 p.m.: NNO open house by the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police Department and the Santa Clara County fire department, Los Gatos Fire Station, 306 University Ave., Los Gatos.

6 p.m.: Block parties at the Central Marin Police Authority Stations: 250 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, and 525 San Anselmo Ave. in San Anselmo.