Tonight, people across America and folks right here in Madison County, MS will flick on their porch lights and invite the neighbors over as part of the 25th annual National Night Out, known as "America's Night Out Against Crime."

Several Madison County, MS neighborhood associations and watch groups are participating in the national one-night event, while a Ridgeland, MS business has decided to get involved in the event for the first time.

The brainchild of the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out gives neighbors a chance to meet and greet each other with the goal of preventing crime.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention and neighborhood camaraderie," said NATW Executive Director Matt Peskin, on the NATW Web site.

Neighbors are encouraged to participate in the event by holding a front porch vigil - a tradition of National Night Out - or hosting a block party, cookout, ice cream social or other gathering to help get to know each other better.

Traditionally, local law enforcement officials and city officials make their rounds to the various neighborhood events to introduce themselves.

Five Ridgeland, MS neighborhoods are participating this year, said Ridgeland Crime Prevention Officer Mike Raffield, who has been instrumental in organizing National Night Out in Ridgeland, MS Assistant Canton, MS Police Chief Bracy Coleman said three Canton neighborhoods are registered to hold events tonight.

For the first time, a Ridgeland, MS business has gotten involved, Raffield said.

"We have never had a business get involved with this event. We are hoping that some other businesses will get involved next year."

The business, Centerpoint Energy, has agreed to host National Night Out at its office for all the Commerce Park "neighbors."

"My boss Tina Lakey thought that would be a good fit for us with us being in the industrial park," said Centerpoint Senior Marketing Consultant Cheryl Mitchell.

"We would like to involve everyone in the industrial park and get to know our neighbors."

Mitchell said Centerpoint plans on having a speaker, ice cold watermelon, ice cold bottled water and door prizes.

While Mitchell sees National Night Out as a fun social event, she said there's a higher purpose - to be able to watch out for each other once offices close for the day.

"There's not very many people here after hours."

Coleman said police officials, Mayor Fred Esco and members of The Board of Aldermen will be visiting the East Academy Neighborhood Association, new subdivision Northgate and the Guardian Angels group near Nichols Middle.

"We will be coming through the neighborhoods observing what they have done for National Night Out," Coleman said.

"They can talk about what they've been doing in their neighborhood, and they can talk about some of the things they would like to see done in their neighborhood."

Bill Cook, Montrachet Homeowners Association president, has been participating in National Night Out for many years.

He predicts 60 to 70 people will make it to the Ridgeland MS neighborhood's cookout.

"We usually have a big crowd up here," Cook said.

Cook said building police-community partnerships is a sure-fire way to quell crime.

"They (police) come through here three or four times a day. I know all of them. They're real instrumental in taking care of problems if there is a problem.

"We've only had one house break-in in five years, and they caught them the same day."

Last year, more than 35 million people nationwide participated in National Night Out.

The inaugural event was held in 1984 with 2.5 million people participating.

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