Mesa celebrates GAIN October 18

For the 11th year in a row, the Mesa Police Department and residents from neighborhoods and apartment communities throughout the city of Mesa will gather for GAIN, or Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods, Saturday, Oct. 18 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.  GAIN is designed to enhance community block watches and police/fire partnerships to prevent crime.

The official “kickoff” for GAIN was held September 27 during National Emergency Preparedness 2008 at Mesa Riverview Bass Pro Shops.  Mesa District 1 Councilmember Dave Richins addressed the audience during a noontime ceremony encouraging residents to register their neighborhoods to host GAIN parties.  ”This is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors, have fun and form partnerships between neighborhoods and police to share information and demonstrate a united anti-crime effort,” Richins said.  Members of Mesa City Council and City agencies will visit GAIN parties to talk with residents.

“Partnerships between the community and the Mesa Police Department are paramount in our efforts in fighting crime,” Assistant Police Chief John Meza said.  ”Members of our department are looking forward to meeting with as many of our neighborhood groups as possible in an effort to continue building our relationship and to keep our community safe.”

GAIN began in 1998 after Arizona found participation in the August National Night Out program to be challenging due to the heat and the number of people on vacation or escaping the hot weather for a few months. Crime prevention officers throughout Arizona met and developed GAIN, which is held in October during Crime Prevention Month.

The first GAIN event in Mesa included nearly 300 block parties and more than 22,000 participants.  The goal is to “gain” more GAIN parties and participants for the 11th year of the program.  For more information, contact Mesa Police Department GAIN Coordinator Denise Traves at 480-644-2620.