ROANOKE, Va – Police across Virginia will visit neighborhoods on Tuesday night to strengthen relationships within the community as part of National Night Out.
The event is an opportunity for officers to interact wih people in the communities and neighborhoods they serve, in a relaxed and fun environment. That's something they don't always have the opportunity to do.
Often when police or firefighters are called into a neighborhood, it's for work. For teens and kids who haven't had a lot of opportunity to interact with officers, that can make for a tense situation. That's why Roanoke City crime prevention specialist, Scott Leamon, says events like this are so important.
"The officers want to get out there," says Leamon. "They want to show that they're part of the community. The officers who work those areas will be in those areas. You'll be getting the officer that works in your district or works in your neighborhood. They also make it a point to take out all of the new recruits that graduated recently."
Leamon says this isn't the only opportunity for these officers to get out into the community, but it's definitely one of the biggest ones. Roanoke City officers also work to attend community walks and meetings, finding other ways to get involved with neighborhoods throughout the year.
Here's a list of some National Night Out events:
Bedford:
Farmers Market on East Main Street
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Danville:
Click here for details on 12 events taking place throughout Danville
Lynchburg:
"Farewell Party to Crime"
Miller Park
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Martinsville:
First Baptist Church of East Martinsville
Chatham Heights Baptsit Church
Agape Bible Christian Fellowship
Pulaski:
Jackson Park
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Roanoke:
-Airlee Court Neighborhood Watch Association "Lights on Against Crime"
-Ashton Heights Community Mini-Carnival
-Fairland Civic Organization Community Block Party & Fish Fry
-Greater Grandview Area Neighborhood Watch Potluck
Melrose-Rugby Neighborhood Forum, Inc. & Loudon-Melrose Neighborhood Organization Inc.'s National Night Out Street Party
-JRC/Melrose Towers National Night Out Celebration
-NNEO, Inc. Neighborhood Block Party
-Old Southwest, Inc. National Night "Cook" Out
- Belmont Neighborhood Association, Riverdale Farm Neighborhood Association, Riverland Walnut Hill Neighbors, Southeast Action Forum, Inc., Starview Heights Neighborhood Watch SE Community Celebration
-Westwind Apartments Community Celebration
For details on Roanoke City's individual events, click here
Vinton:
Vinton War Memorial in the Charles R. Hill Senior Center
Starts at 6 p.m.