Antioch residents, police to come together for National Night Out

Antioch residents are taking a stand against crime and drugs by participating in National Night Out for the first time, village officials announced.

The first village-sponsored event comes from an initiative by the village and police department, officials said. It is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the band shell at 900 Skidmore Drive.

The event, designed to shed light on awareness for crime and drug prevention, has been held for 28 years across the country.

“This is our first big effort for neighborhood watch. We have always had a form of neighborhood watch but not to this magnitude with more and more community involvement,” Mayor Larry Hanson said.

The village launched its neighborhood watch program in November 2010,

National Night Out will consist of more than 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases across the world. In Lake County, Mundelein and Vernon Hills are among the other communities hosting programs that night.

The event is also designed to produce support for anti-crime programs, strengthen neighborhood and police-community partnerships and to make sure criminals know Antioch residents are fighting back against crime, officials said.

“I think they (Antioch residents) will see there is a spirit of police and community partnership. I think it’s a positive. It will heighten crime and drug prevention awareness. And will send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized, they are involved and they will call the police. They will sign complainants and they are not going to just sit back and accept crime activity, gang activity or drug activity in their neighborhoods,” Police Chief Craig Somerville said.

Antioch’s event will include Antioch Neighborhood Watch representatives, crime prevention tips, DNA identification kits for parents, police K9 demonstration, domestic violence unit representatives, Antioch Police Explorers recruitment, defense tactics for women, hands-on fire truck and hands-on police unit.

There will also be a bounce house for kids and refreshments and food will be provided.