National Night Out, a nationwide crime prevention effort that emphasizes building a partnership between the police and the community, was celebrated at Griffin Park and at Kennedy Park on August 5, 2008. Designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime programs, the event also seeks to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police–community partnerships and sends a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. The Fall River Police Department, CD-REC and the Mayor's Office sponsored the evening event for residents that included agency information tables and a climbing wall, pony rides, face painting, a dunk tank and movies on the lawn at 8:00 p.m. Funding was made possible through a Weed & Seed grant  Click here for pictures from last year and here for pictures of the 2006 event. For more information about the event, contact Youth Coordinator Christian McCloskey at 508-324-2419.
 

(Top row, left) Healthy Lives coordinator Mike Ramos and Children In Balance Project Manager Marcia Picard watch as children try a balance game. (Top row, center) Fall River Police Chief John M. Souza is interviewed by Channel 10 news reporter Michelle Brown. (Top row, right) Five-year-old Robinson Depina starts his assault on the climbing wall. (Middle row, left) Ayzin, Judayah and Zoran Thompson enjoy a hot dog. (Middle row, right) Brittany Lajoie stands in line with the other kids waiting to enter the dunk tank. (Bottom row, center) Miguel Angel receives some pencils from Fall River police officer  Debi Jackson as his sister Mercades looks on.(Bottom row, right) Corky Row Neighborhood Association president Beverly Poitras is interviewed by Jillian Mello and Jenifer Benjamin for a survey on neighborhood safety they are conducting for the City's Youth Services Team F.R.E.S.H.