Make Plans to Celebrate National Night Out
Celebrate National Night out! The time is quickly approaching when many communities hold their annual National Night Out (NNO) events, and we encourage you to take part! With the hustle and bustle of every day, it’s harder than ever to get to know our neighbors and local law enforcement. Launched in 1981, NNO is designed to gets neighbors back outside, into their communities and partnering with police departments to create safer neighborhoods. The annual event is held on the first Tuesday of August, with more than 37 million people in more than 16,000 communities, celebrating each year.
The best way to find an event near you is to watch for local flyers, search online (use your community’s name along with “National Night Out”), review your newspaper’s event section, or check with your area law enforcement office. Many communities often have social media accounts dedicated to their events, and the national organization’s Facebook page is a great place for information and inspiration.
Building Community and Fighting Crime
The benefits of this family friendly event are many, and planning or participating in a NNO evening is another positive way home and business owners can prevent home break ins, drug activity, vandalism, and more serious crimes. Most neighborhoods celebrate with block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts, and other events with safety tips, demonstrations, kids’ activities, giveaways, and exhibits by emergency personnel. NNO events are wonderful ways to include the entire family in learning about home security, neighborhood safety, and building community.Be Neighborly: Find or Start a National Night Out Event
If your area does not host an event, consider being neighborly and starting your own for next year. Keep in mind the following potential partners in addition to local law enforcement or your home security systems provider:- Schools
- Fire stations
- Hospitals
- Libraries
- Swimming pools
- Parks and Recreation departments
- Zoos
- Grocery stores
- Mounted Posses
- Emergency Medical Technician or American Medical Response teams