— Photos by Claudia Ferro and Donald Norton

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 took place on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at Foss Park. The event included 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.

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 anti-crime 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/.