National Night Out Busy but Low-Key in Alameda

A dozen or more block parties and neighborhood gatherings are planned throughout Alameda tonight as part of National Night Out 2011, according to the Alameda Police Department.

While the department isn't an official sponsor of National Night Out in Alameda, police officers will attend most or all of the local events to meet residents and talk about neighborhood crime prevention, said police Lt. Sean Lynch. The popular "police dog" mascot, McGruff, will be making some appearances too.

Most National Night Out events in Alameda are organized by block captains for Neighborhood Watch programs, Lynch said. The National Association of Town Watch is the nationwide sponsor of the program.

The police department does not release the locations of individual events as some of them are held in private homes, Lynch said. 

The official National Night Out website describes it as an "effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in our fight for a safer nation."

Thousands of communities across the country participate each year in National Night Out on the same night, with events ranging from low-key gatherings of immediate neighbors to large celebrations sponsored by police and sheriffs' departments and community organizations.