Steve Burns
WMAL.com

GAITHERSBURG — (WMAL) Tonight is National Night Out and organizers expect more than 16,000 events across the country where police officers get together with the communities they serve.

“This is a way for the community to get together in partnership with local law enforcement, to show that we’re not going to stand here and take the effects of criminal activity going on,” said Gaithersburg Police spokesman Dan Lane. “This also works where we build a better relationship to engage each other and open the doors of communication, especially where we’re seeing issues like that across the nation where they may not be as open.”

In Gaithersburg, Lane expects members of the community, including kids, to mingle with police and accompany them on community walks, “to point out where their concerns are, or what they see as an issue that maybe can be addressed by the patrolling officer.”

Elsewhere, he expects a wide variety of events throughout the metro area. “They will be having pool parties, another one will be having a cookout and scavenger hunt.”

“This is the community showing their partnership with local law enforcement against crime.”

Copyright 2015 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Montgomery County Police)