Night to Unite and Neighborhood Watch

2025 Night to Unite Set for Tuesday, Aug. 5 - Check back for more details!

Night to Unite (also known as National Night Out across the United States) is a statewide event that builds and fosters community bonds between citizens, businesses, and public safety organizations, such as the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. This annual celebration occurs on the first Tuesday in August and gathers neighborhoods and public safety personnel together for an evening to promote safe communities.

Thank you to our Night to Unite sponsor, Custom Alarm, for your continued support!

Custom Alarm Logo

Night to Unite's goals are to:

  • Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness.
  • Generate support and participation in crime prevention and community policing programs.
  • Strengthen neighborhood spirits and public safety-community partnerships.
  • Let criminals know that you are committed to keeping your neighborhood safe.

Neighborhoods across the state display outdoor lights and front porch vigils and celebrate with various events and activities, including block parties and cookouts, with visits from sheriff’s offices, police and fire departments, and elected officials.

Night to Unite has proven to be an effective, inexpensive, and enjoyable opportunity to promote neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships in pursuit of safer communities. Community benefits often extend beyond this single evening event as neighbors get to know each other better.

Also, don't forget to apply for neighborhood sponsorships with our Night to Unite partner Custom Alarm at Custom-Alarm.com. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call our crime prevention division at 507-328-6777.

Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood Watch programs have not only been proven effective in the fight against crime, but they have also improved the entire community's well-being. The Neighborhood Watch program will be beneficial to your area as well. First, we need to understand what Neighborhood Watch is and what it is not.

Neighborhood Watch is a Crime Prevention Program that:

  • Teaches citizens techniques to reduce the risk of being victimized at home or in public.
  • Trains citizens on the importance of recognizing suspicious activities and how to report them.
  • Teaches participants how to make their homes more secure.
  • Teaches citizens how to mark their property to properly identify it.
  • Allows neighbors to get to know each other and their routines so that any out-of-place activity can be recognized, reported, and investigated.
  • Develops a cohesive body of concerned citizens addressing issues concerning the entire community.

Neighborhood Watch is not:

  • A vigilante force working outside the normal procedures of law enforcement.
  • A program designed for participants to take personal risks to prevent crime.
  • A 100% guarantee that crime will not occur in your neighborhood or that you will never be victimized.

What are the benefits of Neighborhood Watch?

One of the many rewards to you and your family will be a greater sense of security and well-being, and reduce fear of crime in your community. It will create a greater "sense of community" and put the "neighbor" back into the neighborhood. It brings law enforcement and the community together as a team working to reduce crime in your area.

  • Reducing the risk of being a crime victim: The risk is reduced because participants are taught how to take preventative measures that substantially decrease the likelihood of becoming a crime victim. Law enforcement agencies report that not only does Neighborhood Watch reduce the risk of your home being burglarized, but the instances of other crimes such as vandalism, personal assault, and fraud also decrease.
  • Being better prepared to respond to suspicious activity: Part of the Neighborhood Watch program is training on how to report suspicious activities occurring in your neighborhood and what law enforcement officers need when a crime is being reported.
  • Greater access to criminal activity information: Neighborhood Watch programs are designed to keep participants informed of crime trends and patterns so they will be better prepared to spot any crime activity and stop it in their neighborhood.
  • Receiving a Neighborhood Watch sign to post in your area: Criminals know that if a neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch sign posted, that neighborhood is not an easy target. Citizens have taken the necessary steps to deter crime in their neighborhood and are probably being observed. Convicted burglars have reported avoiding neighborhoods that have these signs posted.
  • Knowing your neighbors: Neighborhood Watch promotes getting to know your neighbors and their regular patterns so that each of you will be able to report any activity that doesn't fit with regular schedules. This means that when you are away you can feel more secure about your property.
  • Reducing the fear of crime and making your neighborhood more livable: Neighborhood Watch increases the number of arrests and convictions by serving as a network for law enforcement and the community to communicate effectively about crime activities in their community.
  • Allowing other issues of concern to the community as a whole to be addressed: Once crime has been addressed and the fear of crime has been reduced, Neighborhood Watch participants can move on to other issues that concern the community as a whole. Some of these issues are Fire Prevention, First Aid, City/County Planning, or whatever the group feels a need to address.