National Night Out, said SPPD Sgt. Jimmy Fogata, will begin at 7 p.m. at the park, located across the street on City Hall on East Ventura Street.

In years past NNO citywide events involved community groups and neighborhoods where police and fire personnel visited, gave presentations and answered questions. 

Emergency and disaster preparedness was a focus of past local NNOs, but Fogata said the emphasis on Tuesday’s event will be crime prevention.

Veterans Park will be filled with police vehicles, K9s and their handlers, Police Officers, Explorers and Citizen Patrol who will mingle with residents, offer brochures and educational materials and encourage citizen participation in helping to stop crime.

“Chief McLean will be there,” and after addressing the community will take questions from the public.

Fogata said the local NNO is to “Help the Santa Paula community come together,” to realize they can make a difference by being proactive such as starting Neighborhood Watch in their specific area.

A goal of NNO is to “Start new communities within the community,” to raise awareness of crime and what steps can be taken to help lessen criminal activity.

Fogata said people must “Help identify crime,” and the potential of same so “Instead of being a victim they will be a witness. People have to realize that if they’re thinking of calling the police they already should have called the police…”

Times, he added, have changed from the days of opening the door without checking who was there and leaving back doors unlocked during the day.

And, with the crime rate increasing with more incidents of violence, burglaries and thefts the community is an important crime-fighting tool.

Fogata said he and other law enforcement participants are looking forward to the National Night Out event: “We’re encouraging people to bring their kids; it’s going to be a fun night to network, talk about Neighborhood Watch and learn more about how you can be proactive about fighting crime.”

National Association of Town Watch (NATW) is the nation’s premiere non-profit crime prevention organization dedicated to the development and promotion of crime prevention in communities across the nation.

Through its network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, civic groups, state and regional crime prevention associations and concerned citizens NATW was able to launch the annual National Night Out campaign.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes public safety-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, better places to live. 

According to the NATW website, “National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community and provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.”

The event also sends a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Each year communities across the nation celebrate NNO with block parties (the Oaks Neighborhood Watch hosts a gathering each year), festivals, parades, cookouts and other various community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and exhibits.

For more information about NATW and National Night Out visit: www.natw.org