ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — The Aberdeen Proving Ground Directorate of Emergency Services has been named one of three winners in the military-category of the 2025 National Night Out Awards, earning national recognition for its commitment to strengthening ties between law enforcement and the installation community.
The award marks the first time APG Police entered the national competition, according to Sgt. Latrina Brown, patrol supervisor and event lead.
“This is national recognition for combining community engagement and public safety initiatives,” Brown said. “Winning this award means we are one step closer to strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the military community.”
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve. At APG, the event brought together service members, families, civilians and community partners for a day focused on safety, education and connection.
Brown said APG’s approach stood out because of the breadth of partners and interactive activities offered.
“Our event showcased police officers engaging with the community through various displays such as the child safety seat checkpoint, they say no to drugs and don’t be a bully informational game tables, a K-9 demonstration and a simulated DUI station,” she said. “There was an abundance of resources provided by our community partners and lots of fun, games and food for the community.”
Held at the Corvias Community Center, the event was accessible to residents across the installation and drew increased participation this year — a key factor in building stronger relationships between DES and the community.
“We got more participation, which provides more opportunities to interact with the community,” Brown said. “We added a few new displays to provide a variety of safety resources to both kids and adults.”
Brown credited the award to teamwork across the installation, including police, fire, EMS, family programs and numerous support agencies.
“There were a lot of players on this team,” she said, noting support from Corvias, MWR, APG Fire and EMS, the Spouses Club and a wide range of community offices, from Army Community Service and the Equal Employment Office to the Criminal Investigation Division and Chapel Support Services. “APG Police and Security has been there from the beginning to the end — sorting and bagging school supplies, setting up and cleaning up, and even grilling hot dogs.”
One of the most meaningful moments for Brown came during the annual book bag giveaway, a staple of APG’s National Night Out programming.
“We take for granted going to the store to get our kids school supplies, but you never really know one’s story,” she said. “There are many people who are not financially able to send their kids back to school with the basic supplies. By eliminating that stress, we hope to make things a little easier for the parents. It’s seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces that does it for me.”
Brown said events like National Night Out reflect DES’s broader mission of safety, trust and community engagement.
“Our mission to provide safety, promote trust and engage the community is the primary focus,” she said. “Without trust there is no relationship. At National Night Out, the community gets a chance to see us in a non-law enforcement capacity. We really do care about our community.”
The national recognition is already shaping future outreach efforts at APG.
“This award shows that there’s a lot of work that can be done,” Brown said. “The APG Police Department has been planning for community events like Coffee with a Cop, and this has given us the push we needed to get the ball rolling.”
Brown encouraged the community to continue supporting the programs that made the award possible.
“To APG soldiers, employees and families, keep showing up at National Night Out. We want to meet you and talk to you. If you see us riding through the community, wave hello. We are here for you.”