[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 31 (Monday, August 8, 1994)]
[Pages 1607-1608]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 6712--National Neighborhood Crime Watch Day, 1994

August 2, 1994

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Crime, in one way or another, affects every individual in every 
community in America. The loss of one parent touches all of our 
families. The death of one child breaks all of our hearts. But by 
reaching out to each other in a gesture of courage and cooperation, law 
enforcement officers and the citizens they serve forge a shield of 
safety--our greatest weapon in the fight against crime.
    Robert Kennedy once said that each time one of us ``stands up for an 
ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against 
injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.'' Tonight, millions of 
Americans across the country will join their neighbors in turning on 
lights from 9:00 to 10:00 o'clock p.m. in front of their homes. 
``National Night Out'' provides communities the opportunity to heighten 
crime and drug prevention awareness, to encourage participation in anti-
crime programs, and to strengthen the relationship between local police 
and private citizens. Already, we have seen how important these simple 
steps can be in avoiding tragedy. In big cities and small towns 
throughout our Nation, police rely on the active involvement of 
community members to help identify potential problems before they 
explode into violence. As we resolve tonight to end the violence, the 
message of this event is clear: Crime in America will not be tolerated.
    One of the primary duties of any government is to work to keep its 
citizens safe from harm. I welcome this responsibility, and I am 
determined to fulfill it. But no government program will be truly 
successful without the help of each American. I hope that the lights 
coming on across America this evening will serve as a signal of both 
warning and hope. With shared responsibility and a willingness

[[Page 1608]]

to change, we can turn the tide on the wave of crime in America. Working 
together, we can build a brighter, more secure future for all of our 
people.
    The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 374, has authorized and 
requested the President to issue a proclamation observing August 2, 
1994, as ``National Neighborhood Crime Watch Day.''
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, do hereby proclaim August 2, 1994, as National 
Neighborhood Crime Watch Day. I call upon the people of the United 
States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and 
activities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of 
August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-four, and of 
the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
nineteenth.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:16 a.m., August 3, 
1994]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on August 
4.