‘Night Out Against Crime’ offers fun for the family

National Night Out Against Crime is returning to Poway from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

The event, which will be free and will include games, giveaways and safety information, will be held at the Poway Sheriff’s station, 13100 Bowron Road, in the parking lot in front of the building.

National Night Out Against Crime is held nationwide on the first Tuesday of August and is intended to bring the community and law enforcement together.

Members of the community can come out and meet members of the Sheriff’s Department, explore some of the vehicles and tools used by deputies and volunteers, play games and find out how to keep themselves and their community safe.

“(This event) is going to be a lot of fun,” said Darlene Duncan, the crime prevention specialist for the Poway Sheriff’s station. “It’ll be a very fun, worthwhile, family-friendly, safety-minded event.”

There will be several law enforcement officers and volunteers to meet, including members of the Senior Volunteer Patrol; crime prevention; a mounted patrol with two horses; search and rescue volunteers with a search and rescue dog; and one of the Poway Fire Department’s trucks, provided that it isn’t needed for a call.

The event will also feature two vintage patrol cars from the Sheriff’s Museum, along with a new patrol vehicle to show the community how things have changed, said Duncan.

Poway park rangers and representatives from the San Diego Water Authority will also be there. The Water Authority will have hand-outs and a fun, interactive game for kids.

The Poway Rodeo Queen and some members of her court will also be at Poway’s National Night Out event.

Target employees will also be guests at the event, and will be holding giveaways, and will have goodies, games and hot dogs available for the public.

Child fingerprinting and information on child safety will be available at the event for the public, so bring your children.

A wide variety of safety information, from helmet safety to curfew information to home safety will also be available. “It’s almost like a resource fair,” said Duncan.

Duncan said this event couldn’t have come together this year without the help of the community. “I am awestruck at the collaboration and cooperation of the community,” she said. “(The community) really came together to help organize this event.”