Community Gathers for National Night Out (PHOTOS)

It’s not every day that residents get to dunk a police officer in water—on an occasion meant to show solidarity with the effort made by law enforcement agencies to fight crime and violence.

That, however, was one of the highlights of Tuesday’s National Night Out ceremony in the parking lot of as Los Angeles Police Department Senior Lead Officer Craig Orange chose to get himself dunked in a tank of water as a humorous form of punishment. (See photos.)

“For those of you who have called me on my cell phone and I haven’t replied, this is “payback time—revenge,” Orange told an audience of about 70 people who attended the 29^th National Night Out, a nationwide event celebrated by more than 15,000 communities across the United States, Canada and U.S. military bases worldwide.

The event, sponsored by the office of , along with the LAPD Northeast Community Police Station and , was aimed at increasing public awareness about crime and drug prevention—as well as generating support for local anticrime initiatives, including by strengthening police-community partnerships.

Stay tuned for a video featuring vignettes from Tuesday's National Night Out, including speeches by Councilmember Huizar, LAPD Capt. Bill Murphy—and Senior Lead Officer Orange's dunking.