The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is gearing up for the 22nd Annual National Night Out celebration, scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, 2005, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

This nationwide event will bring the citizens of Douglas County together with local law enforcement and emergency services personnel to participate in a night of “fun, food, and crime prevention.”

The general purpose of this event is to reduce property crime, through neighbors getting out of their houses and getting to know their neighbors as well as the local law enforcement.

The event itself is normally run through the neighborhood watch program in Douglas County, which boasts to have over 300 groups countywide. These groups then sign up with the community relation’s office to have visits by a huge array of “special guests.”

The visits can consists of any of the following groups; k-9’s and their handlers, motorcycles, Race-A-Cop car, patrol car, jail bus, crime scene van, swat team member, park ranger, McGruff the Crime Dog, bike officers, fire fighters and their engines, and many more.

Your neighborhood does not have to belong to a neighborhood watch group to participate. If your area is interested in having a block party and would like to meet some of the counties “finest,” please call Deputy Ron Hanavan at 303-660-7544 to get information about signing up.