An estimated 700 Richmond District residents gathered Tuesday, Aug. 2, to celebrate

National Night Out, a national community-building event sponsored locally by the SF

Police Department’s Richmond Station and its Community Police Advisory Board.

The weather was good, which helped boost the turnout.

Among the attractions were face painting, free food, a chance to climb into and onto

police and fire vehicles and an opportunity to visit with both a police dog and the many

friendly officers who were on hand.

“This has been so much fun for me and our officers. Why can’t we do it every month?”

lamented Capt. Alexa O’Brien, the captain at the Richmond Station. It was even fun

for Lt. Milanda Moore, a multi-year veteran of the face-painting station at the event; she

must have painted about 100 faces, as the line never got short.

Among the neighborhood businesses which contributed free and at-cost

merchandise to support the event and the raffle were Fiorella,

Outside Lands, Grocery Outlet, Kitchen Istanbul, Sushi Bistro,

Giorgio’s and Beauty Network.

– Barry Reder