National Night Out is Tuesday, when communities around the country will join their local police departments in games, food, and other activities designed to build better relationships.
National Night Out was founded in 1984 by Matt Peskin, who was then a volunteer for the Lower Merion Community Watch program.
He noticed there wasn't a way for community watch groups to connect with one another. The National Association of Town Watch, which Peskin founded in 1981, introduced National Night Out in August 1984.
The first Night Out involved 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states, according to the NATW. Now, as many as 38 million people participate.
The event is designed to heighten crime-prevention awareness, generate support for local anticrime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are fighting back, according to organizers.
Participating in the festivities will be NBA standout Shaquille O’Neal and Ring founder Jamie Siminoff. O’Neal and Siminoff will join National Night Out founder Matt Peskin in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, for their community celebration that begins at 6 p.m.
Here are a few towns celebrating National Night Out:
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Pennsylvania
Bucks County
Middletown Township Police Department – parking lot – 3 Municipal Way, Langhorne, PA 19047 – 6 to 8 p.m.
Montgomery County
Wynnewood – Wynnewood Shopping Center, 50 Wynnewood Rd, Wynnewood, PA 19096 – 6 to 9 p.m.
Montgomery Township Police Department – Target Parking Lot: 125 Witchwood Drive, North Wales, PA 19454 – 6 to 9 p.m.
Chester County
West Chester Police Department – 400 Montgomery Ave., West Chester PA – 6 p.m.
Philadelphia County
Philadelphia 3rd Police District – Snyder Plaza, E Snyder Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148 – 5 to 8 p.m.
New Jersey
Atlantic City County
Atlantic City – Pop Lloyd Stadium, 1200 N. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd. – 5 to 8 p.m.
Burlington County
Medford Township Police Department – Henderson High School – Medford Freedom Park 86 Union St, Medford, NJ 08055 – 6 to 9 p.m.
Cape May
Cape May Police Department – 714 Beach Ave. Cape May, NJ 08204 – 6 to 9 p.m.
Delaware
New Castle County
Wilmington - Helen Chambers Park West 6th and North Madison Streets Wilmington, Delaware 19801 – 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Newark – Academy Street between Main Street and Delaware Avenue, 6 to 9 p.m.
Many more communities will be participating in this event. Reach out to your local police department for more information about National Night Out.
