PRESENTATION OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AWARD

SUBJECT:

PRESENTATION OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AWARD

RECOMMENDATION: That the Mayor present the National Award to Police Chief Doyle for the Police Department’s activities during National Night Out. Also, request that the Mayor and Council Members present certificates to Neighborhood Watch Block Captains that hosted top block parties in the City.

COUNCIL GOALS: Maintain the Current High Level of Public Safety

• Utilize existing and non-public safety programs to reduce crime.

FISCAL IMPACT: None

BACKGROUND: The National Night Out event is an annual crime/drug prevention event in which police agencies and their communities join forces to promote crime prevention awareness, safety and neighborhood unity. Recently the National Association of Town Watch notified the Ontario Police Department that the City of Ontario was ranked number five in the nation in its category (cities with populations of 100,000 to 299,999) for participating in the 2008 National Night Out celebration.

This year’s National Night Out was held on August 5, 2008. Ontario hosted one of its more successful events in celebrating 22 years of neighborhood unity. The event included coordination of a record 200 neighborhoods and regional city celebrations. Our activities included several components of the “Gateway To Southern California” (residential, commercial, retail, travel, education, recreation, non-profit), which increased our National Night Out exposure by over 25% to include approximately 15,000 households as well as thousands of shoppers at Ontario Mills Mall and travelers at LA/Ontario International Airport. We had support from legislators at our kick-off party with the attendance of County Supervisor Gary Ovitt, Mayor Leon and City Council, as well as representatives from the offices of US Congress Member Joe Baca, State Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod, State Assembly Member Nell Soto, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Police Department would like to share this award with the entire community, as the combined efforts of City residents and other City and community agencies were a major factor in the award committee’s decision to select Ontario. The following departments and agencies participated in the event: Housing Agency (Code Enforcement), Library, all units of the Police Department, Fire Department (Engine Companies, Emergency Preparedness, Fire Prevention), Public Works/Community Services Agency (Community Services Division, De Anza Park/Community Center, Solid Waste, Parks, Streets), American Medical Response, Brinks Home Security, California Army National Guard, California Highway Patrol, Healthy Ontario, Inland Empire Community Calendar, Inland Valley Humane Society, Kids Come First Clinic, LA/Ontario International Airport, Ontario Mills Mall, San Bernardino County DA’s Office and the Wellness and Nutrition Center.

The City has been ranked among the top 10 cities in the country for the last 16 years. Each year the number of neighborhood watch groups participating in the event increases, and each year there is more unified community participation. The program promotes city pride and gives everyone a good reason to get out and socialize with their neighbors.

STAFF MEMBER PRESENTING: Cecelia Huggins, Crime Prevention Specialist