Night Out Against Crime - Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Tuesday night, August 2, 2011, neighborhood block watches take back the streets - with neighborhood gatherings and potluck dinners on the street.

Many have obtained permits to close their street for their party and set up tables in the middle.

A 2010 event in the Echo Lake neighborhood of Shoreline

This National event is designed to foster the formation of block watches and to help people to know their neighbors. Neighbors who know each other and watch out for each other are the best crime deterrent there is. Neighbors can watch over vacant houses and be alert to unusual activity.

Shoreline Police Chief Dan Pingrey says "We can't have officers on every street. We depend on the community to let us know when something seems wrong - so we can check it out for them."

Lake Forest Park Police Chief Dennis Peterson and the Duty Officer are going to try to visit every block watch party in LFP.

The fire departments will be out, too, visiting block watches in Shoreline (Shoreline Fire) and LFP and Kenmore (Northshore Fire).