Meet your neighbors and get in on the fun of National Night Out, an evening designed for neighbors to meet neighbors (and perhaps form a Neighborhood Watch if their neighborhood doesn't already have one), celebrate their community, and meet representatives from local law enforcement and Neighborhood Watch.

This year's activity, the “32nd Annual National Night Out” (NNO) crime and drug prevention event, is set for Tuesday, Aug. 4. MB neighborhoods that want to participate can fill out a form in the attached PDF or call Neighborhood Watch at 310-802-5184 for information or to register your block. 

National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and will involve more than 16,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases around the world. More than 38 million people are expected to participate in “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”

The Manhattan Beach Police Department and MB Neighborhood Watch support NNO by encouraging residents to host block parties and social events for the purpose of strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. National Night Out is also designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness as well as generate support for, and participation in Neighborhood Watch. 

NNO traditions nationwide include turning on outside lights on NNO, gathering on front porches and many cities and communities take it a step further with a variety of special citywide and neighborhood events. 

MBPD and its Neighborhood Watch program are inviting residents to host events such as cookouts, ice cream socials, potlucks, flashlight walks, youth activities (i.e. coloring contest or dance party) or any other fun idea to get neighbors outside for a night out against crime on Tuesday, Aug. 4.

A safe community is a healthy community, says MBPD Officer Stephanie Martin.