Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Events planned for Night Out Against Crime

It’s National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday and there are lots of neighborhood parties and events planned across the area.

Last year, nearly 200 parties took place in Spokane County – many are private or limited to one block of a street – but all share the same goal: to help people get to know their neighbors and keep an eye out for the neighborhood.

Here are some of the events taking place Tuesday evening:

• The Valley Target store, 13724 E. Sprague Ave., has a safety fair from 1 to 3 p.m.; the North Side store, 9770 N. Newport Highway, has a similar event running from 1 to 4 p.m. Medstar and Air 1 helicopters will touch down there – unless they are on an emergency call – and there will be fire department presentations, family ID and neighborhood watch program presentations.

• Most Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort stations will have parties in the late afternoon and early evening, featuring hot dogs and ice cream as well as public safety and volunteer information for visitors. Find your local SCOPE station by visiting www.scopespokanewa.org.

• Spokane Community Oriented Policing Services is also hosting Night Out Against Crime events at COPS Shops and community centers. A list of registered parties is available at www.spokanecops.org.

• Downtown, Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs and Washington Trust Bank are hosting a Night Out Against Crime event in the Diamond Parking Lot at Second Avenue and Wall Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This event features crime prevention and community resources, food and family-friendly entertainment.

• At East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone St., Night Out Against Crime is celebrated from 6 to 9 p.m. The center is hosting bingo and arts and crafts booths for children, free haircuts and child ID cards as well as tennis, basketball and food.

• In A.M. Cannon Park, COPS West and Greenstone will host an event from 6 to 8 p.m. This event features free hot dogs and face painting, as well as community resources and games for children.

• The Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center, 845 S. Sherman St., is having its Night Out Against Crime event from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and neighbors are welcome to stop by for free hot dogs and ice cream. This year, there will also be a bouncy castle for younger children and many different community agencies will set up resource tables and hand out information.