ROANOKE, Va. – National Night Out will be taking place across the country on Tuesday and is a chance for police to get to know the community better.
Several events are taking place in Southwest Virginia, including right here in the Star City.
Some of the National Night Out events in Roanoke City will take place at the following locations:
- Melrose Rugby: 5-8 p.m. at McCadden Park
- Old Mountain Road: 6-8 p.m. at Hollins Road Baptist Church
- Summit Hills: 6-8 p.m. Edgewood Christian Church
The city is hosting about 11 events and has been holding this event for years. Last year, about 200 to 300 people showed up.
“This is just no 911 calls, no issues, no conflicts and we get to sit down and say, ‘Tell me how you feel. Tell me what’s going on. Tell me what I can help you with,’” said Captain Jennifer Boswell with Roanoke City Police Department’s Community Response Bureau.
Meanwhile, the Lynchburg Police Department is attending several National Night Out events hosted by its Neighborhood Watch groups.
They are private but you can learn more information on its website.
“The biggest thing that we need when it comes to our community is trust. We need trust from our community members that we are doing what we say we are doing and they trust us to come forward when they have information. Our Neighborhood Watch groups are really pivotal when it comes to that because they are our eyes and ears on the street. There’s only so many police officers, and we have so many wonderful members of our community,” said Lynchburg Police Department’s Katie Jennings.
The Peacemakers are also giving away Narcan tonight. It’s part of its Safter Streets Initiative. They will be handing out Narcan to households in public housing in Lynchburg.
Here’s a list of other National Night Out events taking place in Southwest Virginia:
- Christiansburg Recreation Center 6-8 p.m.
- Bedford YMCA 6-9 p.m.
- Halifax Fairgrounds 6-8 p.m.
- Rockbridge County Hull’s Drive In 6 p.m.