While the event was designed to bring police and community together, Ceres’ National Night Out celebration last week had the feel of a community festival. There was food, drink, music, crafts and lots of conversation on a mild summer evening in Whitmore Park.

Children were busy painting wood crafts at four tables set up by the local Home Depot. A short distance away, children took turns sitting atop police motorcycles while Ceres Police traffic unit officers such as Aaron Pinon pointed out specific features. Zane Taylor, 10, of Ceres, keyed up on the motorcycle’s microphone, imitating an officer by barking out orders to unseen criminals. His grandmother and legal guardian Jodie Taylor said Zane “is obsessed with becoming a police officer.”

“I try to bring him to every event like this that I can,” said Taylor, his guardian. “You can see how excited he is.”

She credits the boy’s contact with School Resource Officer Jose Beltran at Patricia Kay Beaver Leadership Academy for the source of inspiration. Taylor said the seed may have been planted from the time police and emergency personnel rallied to save him from a backyard pool drowning when he was two-and-a-half.

In other parts of the park, Nawatha Reed walked around with her visiting family, including granddaughter Brittany Varin and her husband. Once a Ceres resident, Brittany went to France to study and stayed. She stopped at the Cub Scout Pack 132 booth and tried her hand at roping a dummy bullhead.

Ceres Police had its Lenco Bearcat armored car available for viewing and also provided a demonstration of a police canine apprehending a suspect, protected by wearing a “bite suit.”

Ceres residents also had a chance to take aim at the dunking booth bull’s eye that sent Mayor Javier Lopez into the drink.

Other activities included a children’s bounce house and free tacos and nachos provided by businesses like Las Casitas Mexican Restaurant.

Valley Christian Center handed out snack bars and brochures about the church and its free 12 Baskets Food distribution ministry program.

“I thought it went very well,” said Ceres Police Chief Rick Collins, who is preparing to retire this year. “It was a good turnout. Last year was bigger than the previous year and based on the number of people I talked to this year they said they had a really good time last year and were looking forward to this year.”

Saturn Court event

While Ceres Police and the city of Ceres held its citywide National Night Out event, residents on Saturn Court had their street closed off for a block party designed to unite neighbors.

Nasson Sanchez said a number of local businesses excitedly offered goodies for the event to make it a success.

“Our PD and fire department and our Highway Patrol responded as well,” said Sanchez. “They met what we’re doing halfway and I appreciate them.”

The block party featured free food and drink, amplified music as well as a large blow-up slide for the kids. Businesses like O’Reilly’s Auto Parts and Brendan Theaters donated merchandise for a raffle. The neighborhood also sliced into watermelon for an eating contest. The fun also included the breaking of a piñata in the street.

The Saturn Court block party drew neighbors from other streets.

Sanchez said he moved into the neighborhood four years ago from south Modesto and reports that crime has been relatively non-existent.

Modesto Love Center posted a booth on Saturn Court to spread the word about food distribution to seniors. Brandy Meyer of Love Ceres also was on scene to promote the annual event held in April.

“We gather to express the desire to strength unity and camaraderie among the community, our dignitaries and our local law enforcement,” said Sanchez. “With so much division going on, National Night Out is vital for our community and every community across our great nation.”

Sanchez said he hopes his efforts will inspire other neighborhoods to organize block parties at next year’s event which is always the first Tuesday evening in August.

“That way our police department can see that they’re not alone,” said Sanchez, who acknowledges a division between police departments and citizens nationwide. “It’s events like this that we can remind them that hey, there’s a lot more people out there who support you than you actually realize.”

He said he was disheartened to see some on social media in Stanislaus County slamming law enforcement after the decision of a judge to clear Modesto Police Officer Joseph Lamantia of charges relating to the 2020 shooting death of Trevor Seever. Seever was shot at the Church of the Brethren in Modesto after his family reported that he purchased a gun and was uttering threats about killing police. At the time, Seever was unarmed. Voluntary manslaughter charges were filed against the officer in 2021 but Judge Carrie Stevens dismissed the charge, arguing that prosecutors had not shown Lamantia committed the crime without legal justification.