Greensboro Encourages National Night Out Participation with a Kick Off Party

"GREENSBORO, NC (June 28, 2016) – Neighborhoods throughout Greensboro have historically reserved the first Tuesday in August to celebrate National Night Out, an occasion to send a strong message to criminals letting them know that residents are organized and fighting back to reduce crime.

To get more neighborhoods involved in this celebration, Greensboro first responders are hosting a National Night Out Kick Off Party on Sat., July 16 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at Skateland South at 3801 N. Church St.

To encourage more neighborhoods to register for the 33rd Annual National Night Out and establish Community Watch Groups, Greensboro police, fire, Guilford Metro 911, Crime Stoppers, and other partners are hosting a free fun-filled Kick Off party to spotlight the city’s commitment to public safety. The event is designed to be both fun and informative. It features demonstrations and equipment displays, informational booths, games and activities for kids, music, and a free cook out. Skateland North has also offered free admission and free skates to the first 100 youth (age 18 and below) who participate in the kickoff event.

Any neighborhood can participate in NNO. Traditionally, residents showed their support for NNO by turning on their homes’ lights. Many communities, however, make the night an opportunity to get to know their neighbors and police better. Communities participating in NNO are encouraged to register their event with GPD in order for officers and other officials to stop by and meet community members.

“National Night out is a way to bring community members and police together in fun, casual settings,” said Police Chief Wayne Scott. “The safety of our city depends on teamwork among our officers and the people they serve. National Night Out helps build that sense of teamwork.”

Last year, The National Association of Town Watch presented Greensboro with an award for its participation in NNO. This is the twenty-third consecutive year the city has earned national recognition for making communities safer through police-citizen partnerships.

Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out is a unique crime/drug prevention designed to:

• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness
• Generate support for, and participation in, local crime prevention programs
• Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back

Effective crime prevention, however, requires more than a one-night event. Year-long Community Watch programs have been proven effective in reducing crime and improving quality of life in neighborhoods throughout the city.

“The best way to prevent crime is for people to get involved in their neighborhoods,” said Scott. “Strong neighborhoods are safer neighborhoods. Community Watch programs can be powerful organizations to improve the quality of life in a community.”

Community Watch programs enlist the active participation of citizens in partnership with the police to get something done about an immediate problem, and problem-solve on future goals. It involves:

·         Citizens using crime prevention practices to protect themselves and their property

·         Neighbors getting to know each other and working together to prevent crime

·         Citizens being trained to recognize and report suspicious activity

To learn more about National Night Out, or to start a Community Watch program in your neighborhood, call your Community Resource Officer, or the Office of Community Engagement at 373-2636.

To register for NNO, and to request an officer at your event, go to the www.gsopd.org or contact your Community Resource Officer. Don’t know your Community Resource Officer? Find your neighborhood in the “Our Communities” section of the site.

The kickoff event supports Chief Scott’s strategy expanding community outreach efforts to better connect with Greensboro’s residents and businesses."

- A Press Release

30th Annual National Night Out to be Held Aug. 6

"Neighborhoods throughout Winston-Salem are invited to join with thousands of communities nationwide on Tuesday, Aug. 5, for the 31st annual National Night Out for crime and drug prevention.

        From 6 to 9 p.m., residents in neighborhoods throughout Winston-Salem and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on their outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police.

        Local observance of National Night Out will begin at 6 p.m. at 612 McCreary St., where Mayor Allen Joines, members of the City Council, city officials, police officers, and local residents will kick off National Night Out.

        Throughout the city, participating neighborhoods plan to hold such activities as block parties, cook-outs, visits with police officers, flashlight walks, contests, youth activities and anti-crime rallies.

        National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the Winston-Salem Police Department. Last year’s National Night Out involved more than 37.8 million people in 16,242 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.

        National Night Out is a community-building activity designed to: heighten crime- and drug-prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

        For more information about National Night Out, call Cpl. Scott A. Boak at

757-2017."

A Press Release

Pictorial: National Night Out in East Winston

Volunteers from Great Commission Community Church 

Despite overcast skies and unseasonably chilly weather, about 100 people materialized for National Night Out in East Winston, one of several events across the Triad to promote public safety and give residents an opportunity to meet with police officers and firefighters.

Tyeshia McCullough and Henry Moore

102 JAMZ provided music for National Night Out in East Winston, which was held in a lot next door to the 14th Street Recreation Center in Winston-Salem. Along with the city's police and fire departments, the event drew a number of vendors, as well as representatives of SG Atkins Community Development Corp., Camel City Dispatch, Baptist Hospital and Forsyth County Democratic Party.

Susan Campbell and NC Sen. Earline Parmon

Phil Carter, a candidate for the East Ward on Winston-Salem City Council, and NC Sen. Earline Parmon also attended the community gathering.

Marva Reid and NC Sen. Earline Parmon

Carolina Stars drum corps

The youngest member of the Carolina Stars

National Night Out from two angles in Greensboro

Officers MA Overman (left) and WD Coble, with the Greensboro Police Department's police neighborhood resource center — official speak for cops assigned to public housing — were surrounded on all sides by children at Claremont Courts earlier this evening for National Night Out.

Some firefighters stood along the street next to an engine and the children had new Greensboro Fire Department coloring books. They wanted to get them autographed by the police officers. Overman and Coble appeared to be the stars of the show until K-9 Officer JD Frazier appeared with bloodhound Ellie May, who was gentle and friendly.

National Night Out provides citizens an opportunity to interact in a casual setting with police officers, firefighters and EMTs, and Overman said the dynamic is different than in the normal course of his duties.

"These kids walking up and wanting autographs," he said. "On a day-to-day basis, sometimes they're reluctant. This gives them a chance to where they can walk up to us and ask us our names, and we can ask them their names."


Meanwhile, Greensboro Justice Summer held a "A Night of Thousand Conversations" concurrent with the official National Night Out to encourage dialogue about public safety and police accountability with five publicized discussions. This is the group that has been highlighting assertions by Capt. Charles Cherry and Officer AJ Blake of double standards, hostile working conditions and retaliation within the department.

Due to a scheduling conflict, a Greensboro Justice Summer event was canceled at the East White Oak Community Center and Beloved Community Center organizer Joe Frierson was redirecting people to Ole Asheboro, which had become a convergence point.

At 7:30 p.m. a sizable group was gathered in the meadow on Bragg Street. Greensboro Justice Summer organizers Cherrell Brown and Wesley Morris were playing soccer with a group of children.

Some police officers had stopped by earlier, Brown said, and the activists and police appeared to come to an uneasy accommodation. Brown said a lady was speaking critically about the police in earshot of the officers, who moved away.

Brown and Morris were in high spirits about neighborhood canvassing the group is doing on a daily basis. Morris said the activists have already covered Hairston apartments, Smith Homes, Jonesboro and some other neighborhoods, and plan to visit the residential area near NC A&T University area next. The canvassers say they have been met with uniformly positive reception from the residents, who have eagerly shared stories and concerns, including suspicion that the police were involved in a murder and frustration that the police don't seem to be adequately investigating another murder.