National Night Out
Encyclopedia
National Night Out is a community-police
awareness-raising event in the US, held the first Tuesday of August.
(Texas has the option to use the alternate date of Tuesday, October 4, 2011, to avoid hot weather.)
The event has been held annually since 1984 and is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch in the United States
and Canada
.
The event is meant to increase awareness about police programs in communities, such as drug prevention, town watch
/Neighborhood Watch
, and other anti-crime
efforts.
, festival
s, and other events to help bring neighbors together.
National Night Out, ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime,’ was introduced by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) in 1984. The program was the brainchild of NATW Executive Director Matt A. Peskin.
In an effort to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anticrime efforts, Peskin felt that a high-profile, high-impact type of crime prevention event was needed nationally. At that time, he noted that in a typical ‘crime watch community’, only 5 to 7% of the residents were participating actively. Due to the growth and success of these programs, he felt this percentage was too low. Subsequently, he proposed a national program which would be coordinated by local crime prevention agencies and organizations - but that would involve entire communities at one time.
The first National Night Out was introduced early in 1984 - with the event culminating on the first Tuesday in August. That first year, 400 communities in 23 states participated in National Night Out. Nationwide, 2.5 million Americans took part in 1984. The seed had been planted, and in subsequent years, participation has grown steadily. The 27th Annual National Night Out last August involved 37.0 million people in 15,110 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.
National Night Out 2011 will culminate on August 2 (Texas will celebrate on October 4). Over 15,500 communities are expected to take part.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
awareness-raising event in the US, held the first Tuesday of August.
(Texas has the option to use the alternate date of Tuesday, October 4, 2011, to avoid hot weather.)
The event has been held annually since 1984 and is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The event is meant to increase awareness about police programs in communities, such as drug prevention, town watch
Town watch
The Town watch program is similar to that of the Neighborhood watch, the major difference is that the Town Watch tend to actively patrol in pseudo-uniforms, i.e. marked vests or jackets and caps, and is equipped with two way radios to directly contact the local police. The Town Watch serves as an...
/Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch
A neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
, and other anti-crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
efforts.
Development
Initially communities held lights-on vigils. Now, many communities hold block partiesBlock party
A block party is a large public party in which many members of a single neighbourhood congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which often involves closing an entire city block to vehicle traffic...
, festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s, and other events to help bring neighbors together.
National Night Out, ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime,’ was introduced by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) in 1984. The program was the brainchild of NATW Executive Director Matt A. Peskin.
In an effort to heighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anticrime efforts, Peskin felt that a high-profile, high-impact type of crime prevention event was needed nationally. At that time, he noted that in a typical ‘crime watch community’, only 5 to 7% of the residents were participating actively. Due to the growth and success of these programs, he felt this percentage was too low. Subsequently, he proposed a national program which would be coordinated by local crime prevention agencies and organizations - but that would involve entire communities at one time.
The first National Night Out was introduced early in 1984 - with the event culminating on the first Tuesday in August. That first year, 400 communities in 23 states participated in National Night Out. Nationwide, 2.5 million Americans took part in 1984. The seed had been planted, and in subsequent years, participation has grown steadily. The 27th Annual National Night Out last August involved 37.0 million people in 15,110 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.
National Night Out 2011 will culminate on August 2 (Texas will celebrate on October 4). Over 15,500 communities are expected to take part.