National Night Out Block Parties Designed to Build Community, Reduce Crime

Block parties will spring up throughout Dixon on the first Tuesday of August, all in the name of strengthening community ties.

It’s those ties that help communities combat crime according to organizers of National Night Out, an event that’s been celebrated in Dixon for 12 or more years said Dixon Police Sgt. Elaine Perry.

“It’s put together for neighbors to come out to get to know each other,” she said. “It’s very important that neighbors are able to communicate with each other and know if something is amiss in their neighborhood.”

But neighbors can’t effectively communicate with each other if they are strangers to each other and that’s where National Night Out comes into play. By holding a series of block parties throughout Dixon, where neighbors can come together, meet up and get to know one another, the is hoping that crime can be reduced throughout the city.

“It assists with our Neighborhood Watch programs,” Perry said. “Because with our Neighorhood Watch there is a block captain.”

But Perry said that oftentimes, neighbors don’t know who that block captain is. At National Night Out block parties, neighbors will receive an opportunity to get involved.

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The block parties are also a way for neighbors to get to know the police officers who patrol their streets. In Dixon, police officers are assigned to specific beats. During the block parties, the police department makes it a point of visiting the block parties who register at the police department so that neighbors have a stronger connection to the department.

“We like to try to get the officer out there, as time permits, to know who the people are in their neighborhood,” said Perry, who is facilitating Dixon’s National Night Out program this year. “We participate in it because it does get the neighborhood together.”

Perry said that last year, 12 block parties registered with the police department. Anyone who chooses to have a block party for National Night Out is asked to fill out a registration form the police department, so that the officer assigned to the beat can visit the party and get to know the neighbors as well.

In previous National Night Outs Dixon Police Chief Jon Cox, as well as members of the Dixon City Council, has been known to visit the block parties as well, Perry said. The is also heavily involved with National Night Out and they visit the block parties alongside the police department.

National Night Out is set for Tuesday, Aug.2, from 7-10 p.m. Dixon will not be the only community celebrating, the block parties happen nationwide. For more information, visit the National Town Watch web site.