Each year, for the past thirty years, in the month of August, National Night Out has been held with the overarching goal to make communities safer. In 1984, the National Association of Town Watch (NATW)’s Executive Director, Matt Peskin introduced National Night Out. The first National Night Out took place on Tuesday, August 7th 1984 as an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
In the first year of the National Night Out, 2.5 million Americans took part across four hundred (400) communities in twenty-three (23) states. In 1984, National Association of Town Watch began National Night Out now involves over 37.8 million people and 16,124 communities from all fifty states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.
The traditional “lights on” campaign and symbolic front porch vigils turned into a celebration across America with various events and activities including, but not limited to, block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from emergency personnel, rallies and marches, exhibits, youth events, safety demonstrations and seminars, in effort to heighten awareness and enhance community relations.
National Night Out is an opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention, and neighborhood camaraderie. While the National Night Out is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, it represents the kind of spirit, energy and determination to help make neighborhoods a safer place year round.
Source: National Association of Town Watch website Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art
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