AULANDER – For the third year in a row, Aulander held its annual National Night Out here Thursday.

The event is geared toward crime prevention and was attended by officers from many local law enforcement agencies.

Attractions for children included a fun slide, bounce house and face painting.

The Aulander Ruritan Club offered a free child identification kit for parents, which would assist law enforcement personnel in finding children in the event they go missing.

Law enforcement personnel displayed confiscated drug paraphernalia and brochures on various illegal drugs.

Refreshments were also available in abundance, including popcorn, hot dogs and soft drinks.

Musical entertainment was provided by a DJ and later by a live band.

Guest speaker Chief District Court Judge Al W. Kwasikpui offered jokes and tips to prevent crime.

&uot;You are the eyes and the ears for law enforcement. They (law enforcement) cannot be everywhere. If you see something suspicious, report it,&uot; he advised the gathered crowd.

He added, &uot;Law enforcement doesn’t need your name, just your information.&uot;

Some of Kwasikpui’s tips included leaving a porch or yard light burning at night.

&uot;Some people think that’s expensive to do, but I have studied it and it’s not. It costs seven cents a night to burn a 100-watt light bulb all night long, or about $26 a year,&uot; he said.

Kwasikpui also suggested knowing your neighbors, checking regularly on the elderly and getting youth involved in positive activities.

National Night Out was started in 1984 by a non-profit organization with the goal of preventing crime.

Last year, 35 million people in over 100,000 communities participated in the event.

In the past, the event has been held in Aulander in August, but Aulander Chief of Police Mike Patterson said this year it was moved to October so the weather would be more conducive to attracting a large crowd.