Belmont to Host Public Safety Event in August

The city of Belmont will look to make a strong showing in this year's version of National Night Out, which will be held on Aug. 2 in various locations across town.

Among the locations currently set to host NNO events are Carlmont Shopping Center, Alexander Park, Semeria Park, O'Neill Street next to the Emmett house, the corner of Hallmark and Lake Road, and possibly O'Donnell Park.

The purpose of NNO, which began in the 1970s, is to highlight the need to make communities safer, according to Belmont Police Officer Don Lewis, who also serves as the Belmont NNO community organizer.

Lewis maintains the way to accomplish safer communities is through neighborhood solidarity.

"The National Night Out is in combination with neighborhood watch programs, and the overall idea is to get neighbors to watch out for each other," Lewis said. 

What began as members of certain neighborhoods leaving their porch lights on at night in the 70s, has blossomed into a campaign to find other ways to thwart crime in small communities. Lewis and the rest of the Belmont Police Department encourage Belmont citizens to keep an eye out for their neighbors and keep the BPD informed of any suspicious activity occurring in their neighborhood.

Lewis, a member of the BPD for more than a decade, explains police officers can only maintain a certain breadth of knowledge as far as local communities are concerned.

"I drive around 12 hour shifts, I've been here 12 years, I know this town backwards and forwards, but I still don't know these individual neighborhoods as intimately as the people that live in them," Lewis said. 

NNO also encourages members of outside communities to venture to other neighborhoods, hopefully adapting the cause for public safety within their own local community.

Council Member David Braunstein, one of the pioneers for NNO in Belmont, commented that the need for NNO in Belmont is simple.

"Because public safety is important," Braunstein said. "I think it needs to expand and be in the consciousness of everyone. It's not about just one night. It highlights the need for every day of every year to make sure people are aware of public safety issues."

"Why we'd all like to live with garage doors open and locks unlocked, that's not the reality," Braunstein added. "So that's why it's important to have neighborhood watch and be careful about your children. There aren't enough police in any community to be there 100 percent of the time. It's the eyes and ears of the community that's important. National Night Out highlights that need."

In lieu of , police have ramped up their efforts to encourage residents to make sure their homes and vehicles are secure.

However, with Belmont represented as somewhat of a pristine town, Braunstein said it's possible members of the community may not take the necessary precautions in order to secure their property.

"Sure, and I think any community that's small and picture postcard perfect would feel that way," Braunstein said. "It's nice to feel that you're in a safe community, but then you leave open the opportunity for a crime to be committed."

"It's that balance. You don't want to live in fear, I think you want to live in safety. I think we do sometimes tend to become a little bit complacent."