National Night Out is an annual event hosted by the
National Association of Town Watch and occurs in Texas on the first Tuesday in October every year. The Decatur Police Department participates in National Night Out and is proud of the commitment our community has to this program.
The primary purpose of National Night Out is to get neighbors to leave their front porch lights on, showing their support with their local police departments in the fight against crime. Neighbors are encouraged to get out of their houses and meet other neighbors in the area and get to know them. The theory being that if neighbors meet and get to know each other, they are more apt to report suspicious activity in their neighborhood rather than “look the other way” when they see something noteworthy. When you know your neighbors and watch out for them, overall crime in the area is reduced.
Each year the Decatur Police Department hosts a large neighborhood block party that is held on the historic Decatur square. During that time, citizens from all over the city attend and enjoy hotdogs, drinks, popcorn, fun games, and are treated to educational programs. During the evening citizens get to know each other and interact with officers from the police department and discuss crime prevention.
