Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2003
Source: Victoria Advocate (TX)
Copyright: 2003 Victoria Advocate Publishing Company
Contact:  http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/671
Author: Del-Voda Harris

COMMUNITY CRACKS DOWN

Residents Come Together To Help Fight Crime, Drugs

BAY CITY - Residents and the Bay City Police Department are preparing to 
put a ban on burglars with 15th annual National Night Out on Aug. 5.

The National Association of Town Watch is sponsoring the annual program, a 
nationwide event where thousands of communities join together through 
neighborhood organizations to crack down on crime and drug use.

According to Bay City Police Department community service coordinator Bobby 
Rodriguez, National Night Out involved more than 9,000 communities across 
the United States and Canada last year.

The event is projected to have more than 32 million participants this year, 
29 million in the United States.

Rodriguez said 20 Bay City neighborhoods participated in local activities 
from 7 to 10 p.m.

"Last year several neighborhoods held parades, block parties and cookouts 
in support of the program," said Rodriguez. "This is to let criminals know 
that neighborhoods are watching what they are doing. We want criminals to 
be aware that they are not getting away with anything. People need to know 
that crime is not just a police problem, it's a community problem."

For more information on National Night Out, call the Bay City Police 
Department at 245-8500 or 323-1771.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom