The Town of Highland Park sent an ambulance, firetruck and public safety officers to Highland Park Village on Tuesday night, not because of an emergency but instead to help foster a sense of community among local residents while promoting crime prevention awareness.

Highland Park participated in the 29th annual National Night Out event by throwing a family-friendly festival from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the shopping center, which included activities for children and booths with information about the town's services.

National Night Out, which is celebrated annually in communities throughout the United States, is meant to strengthen neighborhood spirit and the relationships between residents of a community and the police officers who serve them in an effort to cut back on crime, according to the National Night Out website.

"We want to establish a neighborhood bond and partnership between the Town, the Department of Public Safety and the residents, so we can reduce crime, be a resource in the community and be a valuable asset and a reason why people choose to live here in Highland Park," said Sgt. Lance Koppa, the public information officer for the Highland Park Department of Public Safety.

At Highland Park's national night out event, a crowd packed a blocked-off portion of the shopping center's parking lot where all of the activities happened, near the Highland Park Village Theatre. Throughout the evening, children were able to get their faces painted, pictures taken in a photo booth and put in a temporary jail cell. Children were also able to look inside of the Town's emergency vehicles, including a firetruck and an ambulance.

Adults who attended the event had the opportunity to learn about the town's services and meet with numerous officials, including representatives from the public safety department and the town's council.

Lupe Valdez, the sheriff of Dallas County, made an appearance at the festival and spoke to the crowd midway through the event about the history of National Night Out and the importance of building a sense of community in neighborhoods.

"It’s amazing how when you get to know your neighbor, there’s less crime around," Valdez said. "The concept is, let’s get to know each other and let’s stop the crime.”

Highland Park Mayor Joel Williams, who was also in attendance at the National Night Out festival, described the local event, which has grown each year, as "fantastic" and "successful," noting how the town's employees enjoy getting an opportunity to mingle with residents.

"Highland Park is a small community, and we take pride in being very responsive to the citizens," Williams said. "This event is a way to show off some of the services the town provides that people don’t really see very often.”