Fighting crime is a tough job which our State and National law enforcement officials do amazingly well.  A recent trip to the movies reminded me that even our toughest cops and slyest detectives, faced with incredible work loads, must, at times, wish they too had batmobiles and a “Caped Crusader” to aid in keeping crime off our streets.

While this isn’t Gotham and no comic book character can come to our rescue, we each can do our part to fight crime.

Community crime prevention is one of the most effective ways to help law enforcement officials combat crime.  Whether it is teaching kids to “just say no,” watching neighbors’ children, or forming neighborhood watch groups, local law enforcement officials depend on the support of community-led initiatives to succeed.  The active involvement of citizens and the presence of local law enforcement in communities is a winning combination that has proven to help keep our neighborhoods safe.

One such initiative, National Night Out, a nationwide grassroots crime prevention event, will take place this year on Tuesday, August 5, 2008.  National Night out is a great opportunity for communities nationwide to stand together and say no to crime to preserve the safety of our neighborhoods. 

Earlier this week, I voiced my support for this worthy event by supporting a House Resolution recognizing the importance of National Night Out for its neighborhood crime prevention and community policing efforts.

Over the past two decades National Night Out has played a critical role in creating police-community partnerships and in the success of America’s community crime prevention.  Last year, more than 35.4 million people from all 50 states participated in National Night Out activities

This year, National Night Out is supporting the Department of Homeland Security's “Ready” campaign by handing out materials and educating the public on how to prepare for, and respond to, national emergencies.  National Night Out has also teamed up with the American Football Coaches Association and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Child Identification Program, and will offer to parents identification kits that are designed to help find missing children.  

Southern West Virginians view neighborhood crime as a major concern and have made a firm commitment to supporting our law enforcement officers and keeping our communities safe.

National Night Out demonstrates to the men and women in law enforcement that Americans are fully behind their efforts to combat crime.  By participating in these events, we send a strong message to criminals and law-breakers that we are united in ensuring the safety of our communities.

While Batman is fiction, the National Night Out is a very real opportunity to celebrate and thank our brave law enforcement officials for their exemplary work.  It is with all this in mind that I ask southern West Virginians to join me August 5^th in marking National Night Out and supporting safe neighborhoods and safe communities nationwide.