On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Cranston will join thousands of other cities and town across the United States to promote safety, wellness, strengthen the police community partnership and rejuvenate community spirit by participating in the nationwide annual “National Night Out.”

This year’s National Night Out provides an opportunity for the Cranston Police Department and its community partners, to enhance our crime prevention efforts by promoting cooperative relationships and reinforcing the need for community involvement.

For the second consecutive year, the corporate partner for the local National Night Out event is Garden City Center. This year’s event will take place at the Garden City Gazebo, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m.

National Night Out is a designated evening when communities across America come together to take a stand against crime, drugs and disorder in their neighborhoods. The event is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the Cranston Police Department.

National Night Out will involve people from more than 16,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world. In all, over 37 million people are expected to participate.

In addition to members of the Cranston Police Department’s special teams, attendees can expect to see the K9 team perform a demonstration as well as new Special Victims Unit member, K9 Cali.

Also on hand will be the department’s community partners, including the CCAP Substance Abuse Task Force, OneCranston, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s unclaimed property task force, the Cranston Public Library, Cranston Public Schools and the Cranston YMCA.

There will be activities for children and a chance to meet the women and men in uniform that patrol Cranston’s streets.