By Mary O’KEEFE

The community is preparing for National Night Out, an annual event when the public can meet and speak with emergency responders and other safety personnel.

With the recent divisions between law enforcement and the public, this night gives community members the chance to get to know those who serve their area and officers/deputies get a chance to have conversations in a relaxed forum.

“Every National Night Out [event] the department participates in is a good community event,” said Lt. Ryan Vienna, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept./Crescenta Valley Station. “National Night Out is important for bridging the gap between community and law enforcement.”

The NNO event is being held on Aug. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. One of the locations that is participating is the CV Sheriff’s Station, 4554 Briggs Ave. The lower lot of the CV Station will host station personnel plus members of the Montrose Search and Rescue team, LA County Fire, LASD Volunteers on Patrol and teen representatives from the Explorer program and other organizations that serve the community.

Vienna invites everyone to this family-friendly event. There will be hot dogs grilled on-site and served at no cost to attendees.

Glendale Police Dept. is also participating in NNO. As of Wednesday, GPD has 18 neighborhood events registered and that number is expected to grow.

A neighborhood hosting event could be as simple as having a foldout table with chips and dip to an extravagant event with a rock climbing wall for kids and catering trucks, according to GPD Officer Sahak Nersesyan.

“It’s really up to the host to go all out or make it minimal,” Nersesyan said.

GPD sends representatives to the registered events. Glendale Fire Dept. members will also be on hand at several events.

Glendale has a strong Neighborhood Watch program and many of the events are hosted by these community supporters.

“National Night Out is the perfect night for the police department to reach out to potential Neighborhood Watch candidates and it is also a great way for current Neighborhood Watch to reach out to new neighbors and recruit,” he said.

The City of Glendale will be hosting a NNO event at Pacific Park, 501 S. Pacific Ave. in Glendale from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. To find other hosted events or to register go to tinyurl.com/yc2mst85 or call (818) 548-4015 or (818) 548-4016.

“National Night Out reminds all of us of the importance of building a solid partnership between the community and the police department,” Nersesyan said. “We have to work together to provide safer streets for everyone. National Night Out reminds us that not only do we have to build bridges linking the police department with the community but we also have to make sure [those bonds are] strong and well maintained.”

The Burbank Police Dept. is also sponsoring a big family event for NNO at Johnny Carson Park, 500 Bob Hope Dr. in Burbank from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In addition to first responders there will be games for kids and over 30 exhibitors.

Los Angeles Police Dept.-Foothill Division will have personnel at five locations including Little Landers Park, 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga; David M. Gonzales Recreation Center, 10943 Herrick Ave. in Pacoima; the neighborhood in the 12000 block of Peoria Street in Sun Valley; and Stonehurst Recreation Center, 9901 Dronfield St. in Sun Valley. All of these NNO events begin at 6 p.m. The Garden on Foothill, 6195 Foothill Blvd. in Los Angeles is having an event that begins at 6:30 p.m.

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.