Despite public safety’s place at the top of most cities’ priority list, the recession has taken a toll on funding for police in many jurisdictions. Against that reality, the value of neighborhood watch programs is clearer than ever. So are the benefits of simply knowing who your neighbors are.
Tonight, throughout Snohomish County, neighbors have a chance to get to know each other, as well as local police officers and firefighters, during the 28th Annual National Night Out.
Organizers of this national effort, which last year involved more than 37 million people, say it’s designed to:
•Heighten crime prevention awareness;
•Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs;
•Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships; and
•Send a message to criminals, letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
Each of us has a stake in preventing crime in our neighborhoods. Doing so requires cooperative effort. Tonight’s events offer a chance for neighbors and police to begin developing simple strategies for keeping burglars and other bad guys at bay.
In some towns, National Night Out takes the form of a big community gathering with a festival atmosphere, complete with music, games and a chance for kids to sit in police cars and fire engines. In others, it’s broken down into smaller-scale potlucks — a perfect opportunity to get to know those families down the street.
In neighborhoods where annexations have taken place in recent years, National Night Out can put citizens in contact with their local police officers for the first time.
(To find out what’s going on where you live, contact your local police department or see Monday’s news story.)
Friendships grow from such encounters, of course, but so does the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can contact a neighbor when you’re leaving for a few days — someone who can keep an eye on your home while you’re gone.
Knowing your neighbors also puts you in a position to give help, or receive it, when a major earthquake or other disaster strikes. Seniors who live alone, for example, often need help in such situations. Having neighbors who know to check in on them is essential.
But mostly, National Night Out is about neighbors coming together as an effective force against crime. Ignorance and indifference are criminals’ allies; alertness and action are their enemies.
Take your own stand by coming out tonight. Joining together, neighbors can make an enormous difference.
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