National Night Out Organizer Hopes For Improved Relations

Communities across the country will be observing National Night out on Tuesday.

The event on Tuesday is taking place in a year that saw numerous incidents throughout the U.S. that involved often hostile confrontations between law enforcement and community members.

Jerry Pinto, President of Neighborhoods United, the group organizing New Bedford's National Night Out, event told WBSM's Brian Thomas he hopes that the evening will provide an opportunity to ease some of those tensions.

You know that wall...that's known throughout the country between public safety officials and the community," said Pinto "to help break down the walls to free education, nice night out against crime."

Along with making the relationship a more positive one, Pinto says he hopes it also makes the relationship a more productive one.

"National Night Out is the perfect venue to learn how to report what's going on, learn how to notice things before they happen, to let the police department know, or let other public safety officials know, what's going on," said Pinto

New Bedford's National Night Out celebration gets underway at 5 p.m. at Paul Walsh Field.

Festivities in Acushnet start at 5:30 p.m. at the Council on Aging Building on South Main St.

The Tri-Town event starts at 4:30 p.m. at Old Rochester Regional High School.