Published: August 02, 2008 10:58 pm      

Night Out spotlights crime-fighting efforts

Johnstown is among more than 11,000 communities nationwide that will host a farewell-to-crime party Tuesday evening.

The city’s police department is sponsoring the National Night Out event, but will have plenty of help from crime-watch groups that will hold programs in their neighborhoods.

Johnstown public safety departments, various organizations, churches and the National Guard will participate in activities at those neighborhood events.

The event, which includes activities for children and adults, plus food and refreshments, will last from 6 to 9 p.m. at locations in the Moxham, Hornerstown and Roxbury neighborhoods.

The Moxham program will be held on Village Street between Park and Grove avenues. It is being hosted by Moxham Crime Watch and Village Row Shops.

Hornerstown’s program, hosted by Hornerstown Civic Association, will be held on Oak Street between Goldie and Cedar streets.

The Roxbury event will be held in the parking lot of Roxbury Church of the Brethren. The church and Roxbury Civic Group are hosting the event.

Police are asking everyone to turn on their porch lights at dusk in support of the event.

All of the funds needed to conduct the event come from fundraisers held by crime watch groups and donations, said Theresa Subich, secretary to the city police chief and treasurer of Moxham Crime Watch.

Referring to a news story last week about some communities that are members of National Night Out withdrawing from the program because of what they consider an excessive salary paid to the director, Subich said Johnstown is not a member of the organization. The Friendly City just registers to participate, she said.

All of the funds raised locally go toward buying treat bags for children at Halloween and purchasing items such as vests and two-way radios for crime watch groups, she said. Those purchases are made locally.

The goal of the event is to build safer and better neighborhoods through community involvement, Subich said.

“We participate in Night Out to make people aware of the various crime watch organizations and to get more people involved in it,” she said.

Police Chief Craig Foust said his department encourages community involvement to assist the department in keeping neighborhoods safe.

“We think it (crime watch) is a great program, and we appreciate the work that the crime watch groups do,” he said.

Crime watch members are dedicated and are making a difference, he added.

Leroy Hemphill Jr., president of Moxham Crime Watch, said the event is a good opportunity to bring the community together.

“It’s to remind people of the little things that they can do to protect themselves,” he said, adding that everyone is welcome to join his group.

Linda Orlosky, head of Roxbury Crime Watch, said that group plans to have family-oriented activities at its program. The featured activity is a poster contest to select a new logo for their crime watch T-shirts, she said.

John Slezak, president of West End Crime Watch, said his group will help with the Hornerstown program.

Crime watch programs are making a difference, he said, noting that Tuesday’s events show just how seriously group members take their job.

Ron Costlow, head of 7th Ward Crime Watch, said their event will feature activities and demonstrations for children and adults.

Johnstown has a fantastic police department, Costlow said.

“We’re helping them to do an even better job,” he said.