The National Association of Town Watch has
recognized the City of Arlington as a National Award Winner for
outstanding participation in the 2005 National Night Out event.
Arlington earned a Category 1 ranking, which
includes large cities with populations of 300,000 or more. Other
national award winners in Category 1 included Los Angeles, Boston, and
Washington DC. Arlington is one of two large North Texas cities to
receive this award recognition.
For the past 17 years, the Arlington Police
Department has partnered with the City of Arlington, neighborhood
associations, Community Watch organizations, Citizen on Patrol groups
and businesses to plan National Night Out activities. This year, more
than 59 neighborhood block parties were registered.
"Partnering with neighborhoods has made a
difference," said City Manager Jim Holgersson. "It is taking a big
bite out of crime."
Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck said Arlington is
proud of its long history of participation. National Night Out
provides an opportunity to celebrate the commitment of citizens and
public safety agencies to keep neighborhoods safe, he said.
The first Tuesday of every August is National Night
Out – America’s Night Out Against Crime. The event is sponsored by the
National Association of Town Watch and promotes anti-crime programs
and crime prevention practices. It is designed to help strengthen
police and community relations.
In Arlington, the 2005 National Night Out theme was Vehicle
Burglary Prevention. The Arlington Police Department in partnership
with Administrative Services developed a 30-second public service
announcement that encourages the public not to become a vehicle by
removing valuables from the inside of vehicles. The public service
announcement is available in English and Spanish at
www.arlingtonpd.org
.
For more information about National Night Out, call Police Community
Services at 817-459-5725.
