COUNTYWIDE : Cities to Take Part in 8th ‘Night Out’

Communities throughout the county will participate Tuesday in the Eighth Annual National Night Out--an awareness and prevention program organized by Neighborhood Watch groups and the police crime-prevention units in many cities.

The motto for the event is “Lights on means lights out for crime.” So most county police departments are encouraging residents to turn on their front door lights and to sit outside on their porches or front lawns during the evening.

Cities such as Newport Beach, Anaheim, Fountain Valley and Orange are holding their “Night Out” from 7 to 10 p.m. and are asking neighborhoods to throw block parties or informal meetings to get to know one another and to discuss anti-crime plans for their areas.

The Teen-Age Mutant Ninja Turtles and seat-belt dummies Larry and Vince are among the entertainment to be featured at the anti-crime night open house at the Cypress Police Department and City Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The Cypress Rotary Club will sell a meal of grilled hot dog, soda and chips for $1. Also on hand will be safety and security displays, crime prevention booths and appearances by top city officials.

The Garden Grove police and fire departments will also hold an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Displays include antique and new police motorcycles and a SWAT team. There will be a demonstration of how police officers respond to a felony arrest.

Children can get free balloons, badges and coloring books. Police will also offer free fingerprinting of children.

In Buena Park, from 7 to 9 p.m., extra police officers and junior Explorer Scouts will patrol residential streets, “spotlighting” citizens who have come outdoors and turned on their porch lights.

In addition to a citywide effort in Costa Mesa to get residents to turn their porch lights on Tuesday evening, a community celebration against crime is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Harbor Center, 2300 Harbor Blvd., with McGruff the National Crime Dog as host.

Free gifts will be given to the first 150 participants in addition to “lots of freebies for the kids,” according to organizers. Local merchants have donated prizes to be raffled off during the event, and information booths will be available.

The Costa Mesa police will fly over the crowd and take an aerial photo of the event, so everyone is encouraged to bring a flashlight.

More than 8,100 communities in the United States and Canada and U.S. military bases around the world are expected to participate in the yearly event, which is promoted by the National Assn. of Town Watch and private industry involved in security.

National Night Out is designed to generate awareness and support for local anti-crime and drug prevention programs and to strengthen police relations with the community.