Will you be joining your neighbors for National Night Out?
PORTLAND, Ore. - Neighborhoods across the nation will be enjoying a 'National Night Out' on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
The goal? To strengthen community spirit and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and will fight back.
Block parties, cookouts, safety fairs and much more are all part of the annual get together, which draws millions of people out of their homes to meet their neighbors and learn how to prevent crime where they live. Last year over 15,000 communities participated, according to organizers.
Portland's Crime Prevention Program Manager, Stephanie Reynolds, recently joined us on AM Northwest to talk about National Night Out. She stressed the importance of knowing your neighbors, especially in a day and age where that is not necessarily the norm.
"American culture has changed," she said. "It used to be that people would live in the same house for decades, potentially their entire life. And they would really know their neighbors very well. I think we're a little bit more mobile as a society right now and people don't know their neighbors well, so we're not as familiar with the normal patterns of life on a street. We may not notice when something is going wrong. When neighbors know each other and understand each other's patterns and care about each other, they are better able to look out for each other and call the police if something is wrong."
- Portland National Night Out parties
- For areas outside of Portland, contact your local neighborhood association or police department to find out if your neighborhood is throwing a block party.
The event began back in 1984. Matt A. Peskin, who is the Executive Director of the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), came up with the idea. He wanted local crime prevention agencies and organizations to meet with folks in the community and get people involved. That first year, 400 communities in 23 states took part and the numbers have been growing ever since.
"While the one night is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, National Night Out does represent the kind of spirit, energy and determination that is helping to make many neighborhoods safer places throughout the year," Peskin said in a press release that outlined the organization's history. "It is a night to celebrate safety and crime prevention successes - and to expand and strengthen programs for the next 364 days."
Liberals dont like it when the people stand up against injustice.
 @sortbait Neither do conservatives.
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But Americans do!
Nawww I will sit at home and shoot the first lawbreaking SOB that decides to take advantage of all the cops "Community" policing...
Awesome! A reason to have a BBQ!
 @knottriel Any reason to have a BBQ is a good reason!!
lookout for roaming herds of unruly teenagers coming to crash your block party, especially if you live near MAX. if you're fortunate enough to have some buffer then let the good times roll. i only eat garden burgers now and no alcohol.
We used to do neighborhood parties in our North Portland neighborhood often when I was younger. I miss that kind of community feel. When I lived in Beaverton, our condo community had several BBQ's/parties. Times have changed sadly. People have grown and moved away and the sense of community isn't what it used to be in years passed. I would love to organize our neighborhood to have a party but with being a full time care giver and having medical issues myself it just isn't a possibility to take it on. They say this is a progressive time. I say we've regressed.
 @Kymberlie2873 I would submit that it's mostly your change in location. Portland has neighborhoods, Beaverton has housing developments. Beaverton is, was, and always will be a car culture with strip malls and chain restaurants. NO sense of community.
 @criticalreason What a silly thing to say. I've lived in 6 different neighborhoods in Portland and in Beaverton. Each one was different.. The ones in Beaverton had just as much community spirit if not more than the Portland neighborhoods. Plus, there was the added advantage of not getting your home burglarized, your motorcycle stolen, your car broken into (3 times) and having to put up with the political crazyness.
 @criticalreason I'm glad we got that cleared up.
Yeah, you're right Beaverton isn't strip mall car culture suburb hell. My bad.
My neighbor came over this morning and gave me plum jam. He made it from fruit from a tree in my front yard. I like my neighbors, all of them. Every race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. In fact, I really got a kick out of the lesbian couple next door yesterday as one was wearing a shirt that said "I heart my clitoris". I told her I was jealous of it :-)
I already hang out with my neighbors I like and trust, being in SE the rest are tweakers and I refuse to include them in my buisiness and associate with them. They could go jump off a bridge for all I care!
 @franksbeans I am afraid that you have not consumed enough of the KoolAid. Unfortunately for you, if you fail to change your ways, instead of consuming a sweet, flavored, colored beverage, you will be drinking beet juice in the gulags.
Of course, we of the enlightened class encourage our less enlightened neighbors to get used to attending events such as these while they are still voluntary. Drinking the KoolAid now, will make it so much easier to move them into the new "neighborhoods" we are creating for them.
 @S_O_P_A I'm guessing you might have been abused as a child...
 @criticalreason Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I did attend publicly funded indoctrination centers. I can tell that you did, as well.
 @S_O_P_A An SO full of hate too. I feel bad for you.
 @S_O_P_A You are funny, seriously. I am laughing out loud. SO over the top paranoid. Haha!
@S_O_P_A Wow your ignorance is truly remarkable. Please do the world a favor and don't breed.
 @Motorhead79 Careful there, Comrade. I took the liberty of reading through some of your old posts and they revealed a very high level of enlightenment. Others reading your comment may believe that you and I are not aligned in our political goals.
When I was a little kid,I rode my bike across town in southern California by myself all the time.So yes things have changed a lot since then.
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 @HarryJuku I'm sure the feeling is mutual.
 @Harvey 1701  @HarryJuku Dear Comrade, while you may be correct about his neighbor's sentiments, it is up to you and I, as the representatives of the enlightened class to maintain the facade of acceptance and inclusion. The illusion of tolerance, love, and compassion is one of the greatest tools the progressive movement possesses (it got Dear Leader elected, after all).
 @S_O_P_A So you believe in divide and conquer instead?. Be very weary of anyone advocating against getting to know their neighbors folks.
We've got fantastic neighbors and have a neighborhood block party every year. Can't wait for ours this year which is in a few weeks! I'm very grateful to have such a great neighborhood with people that care about each other. Makes me never want to leave our area.Â
 @Justanother1 Exactly. People make the neighborhood.
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We have quite a mix of folks in our neighborhood and all get along very well. We all watch the kids, help each other with projects, welcome newcomers and say goodbye to those leaving. When one family goes on vacation we all watch their house. We even share a mower since it is not cost effective for all of use to have one.
I'll be staying @ home even though our event is right across the street. Wouldn't want anyone breaking in while away for National Night Out.
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@JLO Your right. It's probably best to live in your world of extreme paranoia and never leave your house again for fear of being robbed.
@Motorhead79 I'm not paraniod, however, the other night just down the street from me someone tried to get in through an open window where a kid was sleeping. Longview is the tweaker, domestic violence, heroin using, copper wire stealing capital of the world. BTW Franksbeans, I'm a she.
 @JLO Paranoid much?
@Harvey 1701 @JLO believe he is justified in the thought some tweaker would take advantage and break in!
We had one the other night. During the summer we have these often. No need for an organized event to meet the neighbors.
 @RalphCramden Sad but not surprising that one of the first negative comments was aimed towards you from a liberal.Â
 @last boyscout Every last one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence was considered a liberal by the British. The Jews (and pretty much everyone else) were liberals according to the Nazis. Westerners are liberals according to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Jesus Christ was a liberal. So what does that say about you?
 @last boyscout I feel honored to have my own stalker.  I love to make him dance.
 @last boyscout If me holding up a mirror to his comments is disturbing then I'd look at the originator of the racism, and paranoia. Also, I'm not a liberal, but it must be easier for you to put a label on someone to make yourself feel superior.