Hundreds of law enforcement agencies are hoping to build rapport within their communities during a national police event on Tuesday that comes amid an uptick in gun violence.
The 38th annual “National Night Out” is being held nearly a month after more than 550 people nationwide were reportedly shot during the Fourth of July weekend.
Moreover, at least 67 police officers have been shot this year in ambush-style attacks, which are up 126% compared to the same time last year, according to July 31 data from the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Event organizers say the community-building campaign is aimed at “promoting police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie” across all 50 states, U.S. territories and military bases around the globe.
“Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and much, much more,” according to the event website.
Tuesday’s event also falls on the two-year anniversary of the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that left 23 dead.
As of July 28, the total number of mass shootings nationwide this year is nearly 20% higher (393) than the same time last year (329), according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Last month, the Justice Department deployed gun trafficking “strike forces” to five major cities including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
“Leveraging existing resources, the regional strike forces will better ensure sustained and focused coordination across jurisdictions and help stem the supply of illegally trafficked firearms from source cities, through other communities, and into five key market regions,” the department said in a press release.
The strike forces are part of President Biden’s Violent Crime Reduction Initiative announced in May in response to an increase in violent crime, particularly shootings and homicides.
Homicides were up in at least 38 large cities in the first quarter of this year compared to the same time in 2020, according to a report by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
Sign up for Daily Newsletters
