A caravan of fire trucks, police patrol cars, motorcycles and ambulances with their sirens blaring as they cross neighborhoods does not necessarily mean they are coming to an emergency if this happens on the first Tuesday in August, like every year. It is a sign that National Night Out is being celebrated.
For children, getting on these vehicles has always been the highlight of the night. National Night Out is a wonderful opportunity for our community to foster collaboration between the police and the community, crime prevention and camaraderie among neighbors.
Although National Night Out, Night Against Crime was introduced nationally in 1984, it was not until 1992 that it began in Lawrence in an effort to raise awareness and strengthen citizen participation in local crime efforts with the culminating event on the first Tuesday in August.
As in previous years, Lawrence/Methuen Community Coalition under the leadership of Harold Magoon, with the cooperation of the neighborhoods and their volunteers, did a fantastic job organizing such an important event.
Now more than ever, it is important to participate in this event that despite the years we have been celebrating, we have not been able to eliminate crime and violence. To this we have to add terrorism, which is there, latent and can occur at any time, in any city.
Knowing our neighbors is the first step to making our neighborhoods, free of crime, safer.
