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People across the Charlotte area took to the streets Tuesday for the annual “National Night Out” festivities.
The goal? For neighbors and police to team up to tell criminals they’re not welcome.
Neighbors in the Hidden Valley area says they are getting to know each other, and aren’t afraid to come out of their homes as they have been in the past.
Saundra Jones says National Night Out also has helped to improve relationships between residents and police.
“It is good that they know we can trust them and that they can trust us,” Jones told NewsChannel 36, the Observer’s news partner.
And police agree.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Ken Schul said there has been a “drastic drop” in violent crime in the community during the past three years.
Among those joining in the festivities in Hidden Valley was Mayor Anthony Foxx.
Meanwhile, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Andrew Murray chatted with residents in the Madison Park neighborhood about the role his office plays in the community.
Fighting crime, Murray says, starts with citizens and police before moving to the DA’s office. “We take it to the end game to make certain that criminals are held accountable,” Murray said.
Officials say National Night Out has helped to spark changes to some procedures and how policing is done.
“When we hear about chronic issues in a particular neighborhood we adjust to (address) what the complaints are” Foxx said. “This is part of our police strategy.”
