National Night Out (NNO) is an annual nation-wide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, hold block parties and get to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. It’s a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minneapolis summer evening surrounded by friends, neighbors and family.
As with many past National Night Outs, Minneapolis was ranked #1 in 2017, among all U.S. cities with populations around 250,000. Over 1,500 events were registered in 2017. Was yours one of them?
So save the date for this year’s National Night Out–Tuesday, August 7–and start planning now! You can find all sorts of info – how to register, planning your event, party ideas, etc. – at minneapolismn.gov/nno.
Every year Minneapolitans notice that it takes some skill to drive around town every first Tuesday evening in August. But there’s a good reason! Nearly a quarter of all city residential blocks are taped off for National Night Out parties, with block clubs celebrating long-standing partnerships between neighbors and law enforcement.
If you want to block off your street or alley for your NNO event, do it now. Block Leaders can register an NNO event and apply to close a street/alley. It’s a single online process. If you register by July 24 you can block your street for free. If you register from July 25 through July 30, there is a $100 fee. You will not be able to block off your street if registering after July 30.
Each year more criminal justice partners are tagging along with local police officers on NNO. 911 Center managers, Park Police, Sheriff’s Deputies, Transit Police Officers, County and City Attorneys and Paralegals, and Hennepin EMS first responders all try to swing by local block clubs’ events–to say thanks for your partnership and support, and to hear what they can do to improve our public safety services.
If you’d like a visit by any of the above, you can expedite your wish– register your NNO event today at minneapolismn.gov/nno/. You can request the specific K-9 and Mounted Patrol units, as well as a fire truck, by calling 311.
National Night Out a just a month away so don’t delay!