From a flyover by a sheriff's helicopter in San Elijo to police K-9 demonstrations in Oceanside and Escondido, thousands of North County residents were treated to an up-close look at law enforcement during Tuesday's National Night Out.

The 26th annual event, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, took place in an estimated 15,000 communities nationwide with the goal of strengthening community-police partnerships and neighborhood unity.

Carlos Tejeda's family was curious about how Escondido officers do their jobs and decided to find out first-hand at a Night Out event at police headquarters.

"These are the guys protecting the city," Tejeda said as his 5-year-old son Elias gripped the handles of the department's BMW 1200RT motorcycle under the watchful eye of Motor Officer Frank Huston. "(I wanted) to see how well equipped they are for the job … just to get to hear them and maybe have them be an example for my kids."

At San Elijo Hills Park, scores of young families attended a get-together on a warm summer evening, which included free barbecued hot dogs, a fire engine display, child fingerprinting and the brief helicopter fly-by.

Veronica Martinez, a neighborhood services specialist for the city of San Marcos, said residents of the San Elijo community are most concerned about speeding along San Elijo Road -- a worry that has led to extra sheriff's patrols on the roadway.

City and law enforcement officials said they worry that complacency could set in among the picturesque and seemingly-safe planned community.

"That's the biggest problem out here," San Marcos sheriff's Sgt. Dave Schaller said at the sprawling park. "Because it's a safe community, people assume nothing will happen."

The crime rate in San Diego County hit a 25-year low in 2008, with every North County city reporting a decrease in violent crime, according to the San Diego Association of Governments. Property crime decreased across the region as well, including in Escondido, Carlsbad, Vista and Oceanside, among other cities.

Those figures didn't stop public safety leaders from using Tuesday night to teach.

At the Boys and Girls Club of San Marcos, Bebe Nares, also a neighborhood services specialist for the city, said as many as 300 children listened to presentations about how to make a 911call, how to discern between a "bad stranger" and a good one -- like a firefighter or a police officer.

Keaton Magnuson, 8, said he learned to "run away" from "the bad ones," as his father, Jon, prepared to take his family home.

Children and adults in Oceanside saw police K-9 demonstrations, and enjoyed face-painting and other safety presentations. In Vista, the seventh annual Walk Against Crime was followed by live music.

Back in Escondido, SWAT operator Heather Souza's table was popular with young and old.

Two hulking weapons, a Colt Commando rifle (similar to the military's M16, and standard in each Escondido police patrol car) and a SWAT Multi-Launcher, used to shoot tear gas or less-than-lethal sponge rounds, were on display.

"Most of the them (the visitors) are pretty excited about this stuff because the general public doesn't get up and close with these kinds of weapons … only the bad guys," said Souza, an officer with the Escondido Police Department.

"They like to see what's protecting them," she added.

Call staff writer Chris Nichols at 760-740-5426.