“America’s Night Out Against Crime” to feature Fire and Police demonstrations, children’s activities and games, and more

The community is invited to Somerville’s 11th Annual National Night Out Against Crime and Drugs, hosted by Somerville Cares About Prevention (SCAP) in partnership with the Somerville Police Department, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Somerville Office of Prevention (SOP) Director Cory Mashburn.

National Night Out will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5-8 p.m. at Foss Park. The event will include Fire and Police Department demonstrations; a presentation from the Massachusetts State PoliceK-9 unit; live performances by the Sunsetters, Teen Empowerment, and the Red Tiger Academy of Martial Arts; youth activities and games; raffle prizes; and information tables from over 30 neighborhood agencies.
“National Night Out is a nice evening for families to meet their police department, talk about neighborhood concerns, and see some of the Somerville Police Department’s equipment such as motorcycles, cruisers and the Incident Command Vehicle,” said Somerville Deputy Police Chief David Fallon. “This event sends a strong message that the police and community are united to make Somerville a safe community to live, work, play, and raise a family.”

“This event is a great way for Somerville youth and residents to take a stand against crime in their neighborhoods while also having fun,” said SCAP volunteer Olivia Cerqueira. “The support from the City of Somerville, Target Inc., Somerville Police and Fire Departments, the Somerville Health Department, Cataldo Ambulance Service, and local agencies and businesses allow for SCAP to organize an event that unites and strengthens the community.”

Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and Target Inc., National Night Out is an opportunity for communities to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, improve community- police relationships, generate support for anticrime programs, and build community spirit. Almost 38 million people in more than 16,000 communities across the United States are using National Night Out to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are united and fighting back. For more information visit http://www.nationalnightout.org/.

Somerville Cares About Prevention is a community-based coalition supported by the City of Somerville’s Health Department. SCAP’s mission is to reduce substance abuse among the residents of Somerville, as well as the harms associated with such use. For more information or to become involved with strategies to reduce substance abuse, please contact Cory Mashburn, SOP Director, at (617) 625-6600 x2570 or cmashburn@somervillema.gov.