San Diego

As part of a national effort to contain crime through civilian vigilance, the San Diego Police Department is asking all homeowners to turn on their porch and other outdoor lights at 8 tonight and spend an hour watching the area from their yard or doorstep.

National Night Out, as the 3-year-old program is called, will be observed in dozens of cities nationwide, including 25 in California.

“We’re going to send a message to the criminal community that we are organized and watching,” said Officer John Slough of San Diego police community education. “In the last two years, every city that participated had a zero crime rate for that hour.”