Marin residents, officers mark National Night Out’s 40th year

Law enforcement agencies and community organizations throughout Marin County planned events on Tuesday for National Night Out, an initiative intended to fortify ties among residents and public safety officers.

National Night Out, launched in 1984 as an offshoot of volunteer community watch programs in Pennsylvania, is observed at block parties and other neighborhood gatherings in all 50 states, according to the national organization. The events are held on the first evening in August.

The events in Marin on Tuesday involved municipal public safety departments as well as the county sheriff’s department, which planned gatherings in the unincorporated communities of Marin City, Point Reyes Station, Santa Venetia and Bel Marin Keys.