This nationwide event provides an opportunity for law enforcement, first responders and the community to mix and mingle.

By Mary O’KEEFE

Home surveillance is a growing industry. According to a report by research firm Strategy Analytics, consumer spending for home security cameras is estimated to grow from $7.0 billion in 2018 to $9.7 billion by 2023. This technology is now more affordable for residents and is valued for its ability to capture images of burglary suspects, among other lawbreakers; however, another more tried and true proactive practice against crime has been neighbors working with local law enforcement –National Night Out highlights that relationship.

NNO is held the first Tuesday of August and is an annual event held throughout the United States, including the U.S. territories and military bases worldwide (Texas and other areas recognize NNO on the first Tuesday of October).

The history of NNO stretches back to the 1970s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A community watch volunteer who worked with his local police department sent out a monthly newsletter concerning crime in his neighborhood. He found that information gathering for his small area was not enough and began reaching out to other local community groups. In 1981, the volunteer established the National Association of Town Watch and reached out to communities around the country to empower neighbors. That movement grew and in 1984 NNO was launched with 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states taking part, according to natw.org.

The event also strives to improve communication and education, from neighbor to neighbor, and from neighbor to law enforcement and fire departments.

Law enforcement and firefighters are on hand at many locations to answer questions and to get to know their neighbors on a more personal level.

In the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County/La Crescenta-Montrose, NNO is celebrated at the LA Sheriff’s Dept – Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, 4554 Briggs Ave., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be booths on-site from local organizations as well as representatives from the New York Life ID program where parents can get a free child identification card. LASD, California Highway Patrol, LA County Fire, Community Emergency Response Team [CERT] and Montrose Search and Rescue will have representatives on hand as will local Chambers of Commerce. LASD will also be offering a guided tour of the CV Station every 20 minutes.

Glendale police and fire will also be celebrating NNO at 10 neighborhood areas in the far north area of Glendale within Crescenta Valley. Those locations include: 3600 block of Altura Avenue, 1000 block of Eilinita Avenue, 3000 block of  Sycamore Avenue, Urquidez Avenue, Vickers Drive and Sparr Boulevard in the Sparr Heights area, 1500 block of El Rito, 3600 block of El Caminito and the corner of El Lado and Forestglen drives.

Each location will have Neighborhood Watch groups that organize specific aspects of the event, from offering food and ice cream trucks to hosting an old fashioned ice cream social. Each location will be visited by representatives from GPD, GFD and the City of Glendale.

Resident Shirley Markonich lives in the Glenwood Oaks area and has organized her NNO event for many years.

“We normally do an ice cream social. Everybody brings a gallon, or half gallon, of their favorite ice cream,” she said.

It is a throwback to the neighborhood picnics that many local areas used to have and is a way for residents to know their neighbors.

“It’s really a social time,” she said. “Whoever wants to come out to say hello can come out.”

There have been years when there are a lot of participating neighbors and years when not many show up. Markonich said she is hoping more will come by this year because several new families have moved in and NNO would be a good way for them to meet their neighbors and safety personnel.

She added her neighborhood is relatively safe but residents have noticed more incidents of car phishing, the act of criminals going from vehicle to vehicle to see if any doors are unlocked. Once they find an unlocked vehicle items are stolen.

Knowing neighbors and sharing information with each other and with law enforcement is at the foundation of NNO.

“We want to help bring awareness to [our neighbors] to lock their doors,” she said.

Knowing others in the neighborhood is not only valuable when there are crimes or suspicious activity, but is also important after an emergency, like a fire or earthquake. It can be lifesaving to know who might need help following an emergency.

Most Glendale events begin around 6:30 p.m. To learn where all the NNO events will take place, visit https://tinyurl.com/y3xyr6e6.

  Mary Okeefe