ALBANY, N.Y. -- Tuesday night marks the annual "National Night Out" celebration -- and in Albany, a big focus of this year's event is cutting down on gun violence.
Albany has seen more than 20 shootings this year, including the most recent one on Quail Street Sunday night. There have also been six homicides this year.
National Night Out has always been about strengthening neighborhoods and community relations with city officials and police. Acting police chief Robert Sears says the night is a crucial part of community policing, especially with the uptick in violence this year.
"It gets us out in the neighborhood a little bit more visible," Sears said. "We're out there, we're doing the best job we can, men and women fighting crime, but what we need to do is we need to show the community we're approchable as well."
National Night Out was also held in Troy, Cohoes, Guilderland and Rotterdam.