Crime is up, yet public trust is eroding for law enforcement agencies that have long been the mainstay of public safety. Tuesday night, as part of a longstanding effort to foster bonds between local communities and first responders, the Los Angeles Police Department is holding dozens of National Night Out events across the city. 

From Hollywood to Topanga, Van Nuys to Boyle Heights, National Night Out celebrations are as diverse as the communities that host them, but they’re often presented as early evening festivals with food, music, safety demonstrations, crime and drug prevention awareness and visits from local police and fire department staff. 

Held on the first Tuesday of every August, National Night Out has been an annual event since 1984, when it first launched as a way to build cooperation between law enforcement, neighborhood watch groups, crime prevention associations and volunteers. It is now celebrated by 16,000 communities nationwide and 339 cities in California, including Los Angeles. 

The Los Angeles Police Department is taking part in 31 National Night Out events this year in all of its bureaus. Many of the events are taking place in public parks and parking lots, as well as high schools, churches, police stations — even personal homes. Click here for a full list of National Night Out events in LA.