Tuesday marks National Night Out in North Texas: "Get out and get to know one another"
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — It is National Night Out in North Texas.
The effort aims to promote partnerships between local communities and law enforcement.
Plano's Kings Ridge neighborhood is participating. As fun activities are taking place, neighbors are getting to know each other and police.
"Over the years, we've had as many as 500 people come out on a school night to celebrate crime prevention and safety in the neighborhood and that's a lot," Kings Ridge HOA's Bill Kula said. "The reason they come out over the years is because they care about their neighborhood and wanting to live in a safe place."
"Knowing my neighbors makes me feel safer where I am and more comfortable talking to someone if I need help," resident Suhani Rana said.
Plano Assistant Police Chief Dan Curtis said across the city, violent crime is down year to year. Property crimes are up slightly, but still low compared to other nearby cities.
"This community is very fortunate to have a low crime rate," he said.
He said events like this help because residents get to know police and feel comfortable reporting anything suspicious.
It's something Dallas City Council Member Gay Willis also believes. Tuesday, she attended a National Night Out event in Vickery Meadows.
"They maybe tell them some things about their neighborhood that they should know...and just find out a little bit more about how they serve our community and keep us safe," she said.
"We can't do this job alone," Curtis said. "It's very important for the neighbors to get out and partner with us. Get out and get to know one another."
If your neighborhood doesn't have a National Night Out established, it's easy to set up.
