April Hunt and Katie Fretland
The Orlando Sentinel
A lit porch light was all it took to participate in National Night Out when it began two dozen years ago.
Tonight, thousands of Central Florida residents are expected to be a part of the nationwide event to promote crime prevention by sampling free smoothies and other food and visiting with the likes of McGruff the Crime Dog and a beauty contest winner.
“Anything we can do to make people feel safe in their neighborhood, we’ll do,” said police Lt. Dennis Stewart of Casselberry, where events include free school supplies, a hot-air balloon and Miss Florida American Queen Amanda Mazzie.
“This event allows people to become neighbors, not just residents,” Stewart said. “People tend to be a little more assertive in protecting their neighbors.”
The event has also proved popular beyond neighborhoods most hit by the violent crime that has roiled the region for nearly two years.
Some of the largest events are planned in solidly middle-class areas such as Dr. Phillips in southwest Orange County or rural outposts such as Wedgefield in eastern Orange.
“I think everybody has a big concern for what’s going on in our community,” Orange sheriff’s Sgt. Carlos Torres said. “People want to show that they are involved.”
In the small Bay Lakes subdivision off Sand Lake Road, crime is usually limited to stolen bikes and teenage vandalism, but residents celebrate Night Out regardless.
“I really think it’s important to be aware of what’s going on in surrounding areas and just to be safe,” said Freda Miller, a 51-year-old schoolteacher.
Residents in Wedgefield, which boasts million-dollar estates to rental properties, keep a watchful eye on crime, most of which tends to be limited to vehicle break-ins.
“There is some crime and we are trying to stay on top of it,” said Phil Unser, a 69-year-old retired real-estate broker and former Navy pilot. “Having a good strong Neighborhood Watch helps keep us on top of the crime that we do have.”
At The Oaks, a manicured Osceola County golf community of retirees and young families, crime is low — almost nonexistent. But Joe Trippi, a 53-year-old retired entertainer and singer, still enjoys the National Night Out celebration as a time when residents come together in an effort to keep crime out of their close-knit neighborhood.
“We want them to report anything suspicious, anything that just doesn’t look right,” Trippi said. “Night Out lets everybody be aware of what to do for their part to stop crime, anything they can do to keep crime out of our neighborhood.”
In other areas, such as Tavares in Lake County, the Police Department chose the “problem child” as the neighborhood to host the event against crime, Officer Jody Maltzman said. For their first Night Out this year, the department chose Chelsea Oaks in an effort to encourage community policing. The neighborhood has a high rate of incidents, from youth violence to drugs to vandalism.
The National Association of Town Watch began the Night Out program in 1984, hoping to show unity against crime and drugs with rows and rows of outside lights left on all night. About 2.5 million people participated that first year.
Over time, the project evolved to include government proclamations, demonstrations by specialty units of local law enforcement and neighborhood socials.
Last year, more than 35 million people took part, according to the association’s Web site. Orlando took third place nationwide for the number of neighborhood groups participating in the event.
More than 7,000 of them attended a block party in MetroWest, Orlando’s largest single event.
Citywide, 45 Neighborhood Watch groups held socials, the same number that has registered again this year.
“Over time, more neighborhoods realized this was a way they can get to know each other in a fun way and still take a stand,” said Laura Velez, who heads the city’s Neighborhood Watch program.
Copyright 2007 Sentinel Communications Co.