On Tuesday, Oct. 6, residents across Arlington will participate in National Night Out (NNO), an annual tradition that has grown each year in The American Dream City.
This nationwide event encourages residents to step outside the house and get to know their neighbors as a way of strengthening crime prevention efforts.
At the moment, 176 neighborhood parties have registered with the Arlington Police Department, says Officer Kimberly Fretwell, but that number is growing. She expects thousands of residents to take part in this year's National Night Out.
Arlington police officers will visit as many of the registered parties as possible to celebrate community and police partnerships. It is an opportunity for residents to meet their beat officers and enjoy an evening with food, music and fellowship.
National Night Out is an opportunity to establish and strengthen crime prevention efforts. Some block parties are hosted by established community watch groups while others are developing relationships. Connecting with neighbors benefits the entire community and improves everyone's ability to look out for one another by being aware of what activity around your neighborhood is normal and what you should be suspicious of.
"It's so important to know your neighbor," Officer Fretwell said. "If you can't make it this year, we hope to see you next year."
Most neighborhood activities will begin around 6 p.m. and end as the sun sets.
For the past two years, Arlington has finished in the top five in National Night Out standings for large cities with populations greater than 300,000, and is ranked the highest rank for the North Texas region.
For more details, visit APD's National Night Out page or keep up on Facebook.
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