UPDATE: Eight Communities Holding National Night Out Events

UPDATE: (12:54 p.m. July 28): Two more neighborhoods are participating. See the list below.

Have you ever watched neighbors as they happily celebrate National Night Out, and thought, 'Why can't my neighborhood be like that?'

If a unified neighborhood is on your wish list, just grab a neighbor, plan a picnic, invite other neighbors and police officers and then you're participating.

On Tuesday during the monthly meeting of the Pikesville Police and Community Relations Council, Officer Larry Stallings encouraged residents to participate in National Night Out on Aug. 2, and also to work toward creating a Citizens on Patrol (COP) group.

Stallings is with the Pikesville precinct's Community Outreach Team.

And Frank Walborn of discussed how Target can help by donating a limited amount of supplies, such as charcoal.

Officer Luke Matthews, also with the team, said Wednesday that the following groups already have a plan for National Night Out, and have invited police to attend:

• Valley Brook Improvement Association
• Sudbrook Park COP (Citizens on Patrol)
• Pahls Crossing COP
• Ralston Community COP
• Willow Glen South COP
• Queen Anne Village Association, COP
• (New) Old Mill Estates Association
• (New) Woodholme Green Homeowners Association

Any group can participate in National Night Out, whether it's a church group, homeowners association, an already-established COP, or just a group of neighbors interested in participating, Matthews said.

Police will show their support by stopping by the picnic, he said. Just call the team as soon as possible at 410-887-6775, and let them know when and where you're gathering on National Night Out.

That's the same number you'll call if you want to start a COP.

"If you want to start up something, there are grants we can help you get," Stallings said. "It's definitely a great tool to have in the neighborhood. Just the presence of seeing someone driving through the neighborhood with that 'COP' on it" helps deter crime.

COP groups help deter crime by organizing neighborhood watches, walk-throughs and drive-throughs and other events to make their presence known in the community.

Correction: In the original version of this article, Woodholme Green was misspelled. We regret the error.