Police, communities gear up for National Night Out

Aug. 01--When Kecia Taliaferro came to Newport News to work with the Boys and Girls Club, she noticed the community didn't pay much attention to National Night Out.

This year, she's working to change that.

Tuesday night, the Boys and Girls Club will join thousands across the country in celebrating the annual community-building event. Now in its 34th year, National Night Out encourages police departments to build relationships with the communities they serve, and vice versa.

From 5-7 p.m., the Boys and Girls Club will celebrate with a community block party. Events include performances, three-legged races, poetry readings and "all kinds of food, food, food," Taliaferro said.

At the Boys and Girls Cub, Taliaferro said she and the children are hard at work preparing for Tuesday's festivities.

"We want to present an impression that they care about their club, which they do," she said.

Similar events are planned at Hilton Village Townhomes.

"It's important to get the community to know these police officers, especially the ones who're out here all the time. I'm not sure (National Night Out) gets the attention that it needs," said Meghan Powell, leasing consultant at Hilton Village Townhomes.

Like Taliaferro, this is Powell's first year planning the event in Newport News.

Almost 25 communities around the city have their own events planned for the day, according to Newport News police. The Lexington Commons Neighborhood Watch is planning a fish fry at 1 p.m. Family night bingo is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Grissom Library. Throughout the day, police officers will make their rounds, getting to know the neighbors they serve.

The goal is to "heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood and police community partnerships and send a message to the criminals that neighborhoods and the police are united in fighting crime," according to a news release from Newport News Police Department.

At the Boys and Girls Club, one of the goals of the night is to simply get familiar with law enforcement.

"It's less likely (kids) will get in trouble, less likely they'll even attempt to get in trouble because they know the police and police know them," Taliaferro said. "That's what we're trying to accomplish here."

For Powell, the emphasis is on community-building.

"It's important to us that this isn't just seen as an apartment complex," she said. "It's a community."

Mishkin can be reached by phone at 757-641-6669.