Tonight's "National Night Out" has extra meaning because of police trust issues across the country right now.
The issue is in the spotlight after a series of officer shootings recently. "National Night Out" started in 19-84.
The "Bureau of Justice Assistance" helps pay for the annual event. The goal is to fight crime by building a partnership between police and the community.
When it started, 2.5 million people in 400 communities were involved. Last year, more than 38 million people participated in "National Night Out" across the country. The event now happens in more than 16,000 communities on the first Tuesday of August.
The group who puts on "National Night Out" ranked Minneapolis, Minnesota first last year among big cities for the quality of its event. It's one city to watch this year after the recent protests over police killing Philando Castile during a traffic stop near Minneapolis last month.
The Midvale Park Neighborhood Association is partnering with Tucson Clean & Beautiful, the City of Tucson Ward 1 Council Office, and Woods Apartments to celebrate National Night Out.
The free event will feature games, live music, and food. The celebration will be Tuesday, August 2, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., at Raul Grijalva Park, 5775 S. Oak Tree Drive.
The neighborhood also is preparing for a community-wide cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Targeted areas will be along the west branch of the Santa Cruz River, from Irvington Road to Valencia Road.
