National Night Out

Heightening awareness and enhancing community relations through community partnerships
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Georgia

On the first Tuesday of August each year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia (USAO-NDGA) participates in National Night Out (NNO), in collaboration with various Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) in metro Atlanta and the City of Atlanta Police Department.

According to the National Association of Town Watch (2014), National Night Out was established in 1984 in order to promote crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, and neighborhood camaraderie. More than 37.8 million people in over 16,000 communities across the country participate in NNO annually.

Our office uses National Night Out to distribute information about Community Outreach Programs, Victim-Witness Programs, internet safety, human trafficking, child exploitation, and identity theft. We also network with community organizations and state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies in efforts to continue building relationships throughout our communities.  During National Night Out in 2013 and 2014, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and our office interacted with more than 500 children and adults from Adair Park, Capitol Homes, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, Summerhill, Atlantic Station, and Washington Park communities.

National Night Out became known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime” in order to let criminals know that residents are taking their communities back.

“National Night Out was established by the National Association of Town Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs including neighborhood watch groups, law enforcement agencies, state and regional crime prevention associations, businesses, civic groups, and individuals, devoted to safer communities” (www.natw.org).

The public safety officials above were playing musical chairs on behalf of a sponsored student. The winner received a free backpack filled with school supplies to donate to the student.