Anti-crime effort
plans patrol, party

Free entertainment and food
will follow a walk in Kalihi-Palama

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By B.J. Reyes
breyes@starbulletin.com

Hundreds of people from three Oahu communities are expected to hit the streets of Honolulu tomorrow night as part of a nationwide event aimed at generating public involvement in community watch and crime prevention programs, organizers said.

Since its inception in 1984, "National Night Out -- America's Night Out Against Crime" has grown to involve more than 30 million people from more than 9,000 communities in the United States and Canada, according to the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit organization that promotes organized, law enforcement-affiliated crime and drug prevention programs.

Honolulu communities have taken part in the event for at least five years, said Maile Kanemaru, a coordinator with event host Weed & Seed.

"We have always been promoting citizens' patrols," Kanemaru said. "We're always encouraging citizens to recruit new members. The more active a community is, the less crime will occur."

The night out event includes a citizens' patrol throughout the Kalihi-Palama-Chinatown area from 5 to 6 p.m. with a celebration including free food and entertainment to follow at Beretania Park, 1290 Aala St. in Honolulu.

"We're trying to make this more of a celebration rather than just walking," Kanemaru said.

She said organizers are hoping to attract between 300 and 500 people to this year's event. In the past the average turnout has been about 200 people.

This is the first year that the event has been organized by Honolulu's Weed & Seed program, a collaborative effort of law enforcement, social agencies, businesses, charities and residents organized to fight crime at the local level.

Kanemaru said it is important to develop community involvement in crime prevention programs.

"As a result of active collaboration with law enforcement and having residents participate in various community programs, crime has been reduced by 70 percent," Kanemaru said.

Other sponsors for the event include the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Honolulu Police Department, the city and county of Honolulu, the Hawaiian National Guard and Aloha United Way.

For more information, contact Kanemaru at 543-2216.