Arlington is ready for National Night Out 2014!

Behind the scenes, much preparation has gone into getting ready for this event, which is Tuesday, Oct. 7.

As of Sept. 30, one week before the big night, the Arlington Police Department has registered 186 events. These events range from small gatherings of 10 participants to massive neighborhood block parties of over 500 community members.

The objective of National Night Out is to promote strong and safe neighborhoods through community and police partnerships.The event promotes participation in crime prevention activities, neighborhood fellowship, and lets criminals know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back against crime.

The City of Arlington has participated in National Night Out for several years. For the past seven years, Arlington has ranked in the top ten listing of America's largest NNO participating cities.

On Oct. 7, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., residents are encouraged to gather with their neighbors to show unity against criminal activity. Registered communities may be visited by police, fire, and emergency medical personnel.

The promotion for National Night Out 2014 has been an instrumental part of attracting community involvement as registration for National Night Out has increased by 26 percent over last year. New registrations are still coming.

Visit the Arlington National Night Out Facebook page to view photos from pre-NNO activities such as the Target Safety Fair, Children's Book Drive and more. We've also had a few winners this year. Green House Apartments in east Arlington won free pizza for their NNO party and the Old South Community Watch Group won gift certificates.

With one week left until National Night Out, 2014 is already Arlington's biggest and best National Night Out yet. Click here for more details.