Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly will tonight participate in the 24th Annual "National Night Out Against Crime" at various locations throughout the City. The Mayor will visit the six precincts where nine Police Officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty since 2002, including in Manhattan's 6th Precinct for Auxiliary Police Officer Nicholas Pekearo and Yevgeniy (Eugene) Marshalik; the Bronx's 40th Precinct for Detective Daniel Enchautegui; Brooklyn's 67th Precinct for Detectives Robert Parker and Patrick Rafferty; Brooklyn's 70th Precinct for Detective Dillon Stewart; Brooklyn's 71st Precinct for Detective Russel Timoshenko; and Staten Island's 122nd Precinct for Detectives James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews. The Mayor and Commissioner Kelly will be joined by local elected and police officials. National Night Out Against Crime is a community-oriented event to increase public awareness of crime, drug prevention and illegal guns, while strengthening the relationship between residents and police. More than 34 million people throughout the country are expected to participate in these anti-crime programs and other community activities.

"On National Night Out Against Crime, we're paying special tribute to those who have given their lives protecting the rest of us:  the NYPD officers and auxiliaries who have fallen in the line of duty during the past five and a half years," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The best way to honor their memory is to renew our commitment to protecting our police officers, and our communities, from illegal guns. As a City, we must work together to combat crime: National Night Out sends the message that every neighborhood in the City is united against criminals."

"The price of public safety is steep, often paid for with the lives of New York City police officers," said Commissioner Kelly. "It is fitting that we remember as much in coming out to assert the public's right to be safe and secure, day and night."

The Mayor's campaign to combat illegal guns has produced accomplishments on three fronts: tough enforcement, new legislation and groundbreaking litigation. New York City now has the toughest law in the country for illegal possession of a loaded firearm and the first-ever gun offender registry. The Mayor recently kicked-off the Citizens Crime Commission GUNS=PRISON public service campaign to highlight New York's new law that stiffens the penalties for illegal gun possession. That law was passed last year by the State Legislature at the Mayor's request and increases the mandatory minimum sentence for illegal possession of a loaded handgun to 3 ½ years.

The City has also filed litigation against rogue gun dealers in five states that has resulted in a dozen settlements that require strict compliance with federal law. The Mayor is also the co-chair of the bi-partisan national coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which has over 225 members who represent more than 50 million Americans.

Overall crime in New York City is down by more than 26% since 2001, and is down dramatically in almost every major crime category: murders are down more than 23%; rapes are down more than 30%; robbery is down 25%; felony assaults are down nearly 29%; burglary is down 33%; and grand larceny auto has dropped 54%.

Auxiliary Police Officers Nicholas Pekearo and Yevgeniy (Eugene) Marshalik were assigned to Manhattan's 6th Precinct. They were gunned down in the line of duty on March 14th, 2007, after they attempted to stop an armed suspect wanted in connection with a murder. The suspect was later killed by responding officers after he fired at them.

Detective Dillon Stewart was assigned to Brooklyn's 70th Precinct where on November 28th, 2005, he attempted to stop a suspect for a traffic violation and was shot.  Mortally wounded, Detective Stewart and his partner continued to follow the suspect, allowing backup units to arrest him.

Detective Russel Timoshenko, assigned to Brooklyn's 71st Precinct, was fatally shot while performing a traffic stop on July 14th, 2007. Detective Timoshenko, and his partner, Detective Herman Yan, were both shot at the corner of Lefferts and Rogers Avenues.  One of the three suspects in the shooting was arrested the next day, the other two were arrested two days after the shooting on Interstate 80 in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

Detectives James Nemorin and Rodney Andrews, assigned to the Firearms Investigations Unit, were killed in Staten Island's 122nd Precinct, on March 10, 2003, while trying to make an undercover purchase of a Tech-9 submachine gun from a suspect who had sold them a .357 Magnum a few days earlier. Both Detectives were shot during the undercover operation and a total of five suspects were apprehended.

In Brooklyn's 67th Precinct, on September 10, 2004, Detectives Robert L. Parker and Patrick H. Rafferty, who were assigned to the Brooklyn South Detective Unit, were murdered when they encountered an armed suspect at a domestic violence incident.  The detectives were called to the location by the suspect's mother.  Before he died, Detective Parker called 911 and identified the killer to the operator. The suspect was apprehended.

Assigned to Bronx's 40th Precinct, Detective Daniel Enchautegui was shot and killed on December 10, 2005.  Detective Enchautegui attempted to stop a burglary occurring outside his residence in the Bronx and was shot once in the chest. Both suspects were later arrested.

At "National Night Out" celebrations throughout the City, the NYPD's Crime Prevention Unit will teach New Yorkers how to protect their homes, businesses, and their own identities against theft. There will also be opportunities for community members to sign up for the Auxiliary Police Program or a Civilian Observation Patrol and for children to enroll in the Law Enforcement Explorers Program.  In addition, NYPD Community Affairs officers and Youth officers will be on hand to treat children to face and hand painting, and to take their fingerprints and photos for Kid Care ID Kits. There will also be demonstrations by some of NYPD's elite units, including the Bomb Squad, Mounted Unit, K-9 Unit and Emergency Services Unit. 

Members of the FDNY's Fire Safety Education Unit will also distribute educational materials in communities throughout the City. Information on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as fire and cooking safety and common hazards in the home, will be available.

The Department of Probation will also sponsor community activities in 25 precincts throughout the City. Probation officers will provide information on the programs that the department provides for adult and juvenile offenders.

The Mayor's Community Assistance Unit (CAU) will also attend events across the City and distribute literature about the agency and its initiatives including anti-graffiti and other quality of life issues. They will also distribute information on how to volunteer and work in various communities.