CONTACT: Sergeant Bill Lappin
(805) 583-6993

The Simi Valley Police Department would like to invite the citizens of Simi Valley to participate in the 25th annual National Night Out event. Also known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime”, National Night Out is a unique crime/drug prevention program sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. The Simi Valley Police Department cordially invites residents and businesses to participate in the National Night Out event scheduled for Saturday, August 2, 2008, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

National Night Out is designed to:
· Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
· Generate support for, and participation in, local crime prevention programs
· Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
· Send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back against crime

The event encourages neighbors to get out and meet each other in an effort to open new lines of communication and establish neighborhood partnerships to help deter criminal activity. The National Night Out program encourages participants to leave their front porch lights on and gather in front yards with neighbors. Activities over the years have expanded to include block parties, cookouts, neighborhood flashlight walks and neighborhood meetings.

National Night Out has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnership in the fight for safer neighborhoods. The benefits the community derives from National Night Out extend well beyond the one-night event.

Simi Valley residents interested in participating in National Night Out are urged to contact Simi Valley Police Department Crime Prevention Specialist Vicki Kaplan at (805) 583–6908 to register their neighborhood for the event.