National Night Out Tonight

District 12 Councilmember Joyce Sheperd is encouraging residents to come out and meet representatives from the Atlanta City Council, the Atlanta Police Department, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, the Bureau of Code Compliance, the Department of Public Works and others, according to a news release from City of Atlanta spokesman Dexter Chambers.

The National Night Out event, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Perkerson Park, 770 Deckner Ave., will allow residents to learn about ways of organizing effective neighborhood watch groups. The Burglary and Gang Units of the Atlanta Police Department also will be on-hand to answer questions about how communities can assist police in combating crime, according to Chambers.

Because this is an event for the whole family, attendees are invited, afterwards, to bring their lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the screening of the family-friendly movie, “The Karate Kid,” at the park.

Parents can also pick up free backpacks filled with school supplies for the upcoming school year with a limit of up to four backpacks per family with children present.

You may ask, “What is National Night Out?” or “ Why, as a resident, should I attend?”

National Night Out is a community-police awareness raising event held annually on the first Tuesday of August.

Established in 1984, the event is designed to heighten crime and drug 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.

National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.