TEXARKANA - As the music of Marvin Gaye played over a speaker, residents of the Sandflat and Glendale neighborhoods in Texarkana, Arkansas, played bingo, ate hot dogs and visited with their neighbors.
People all over Texarkana chatted with their neighbors on Tuesday as part of the annual National Night Out. Police officers and city officials visited the parties to get acquainted with residents and discuss any issues.
The purpose of the event is to send a strong message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and will not tolerate illegal activities.
"We have good music and excellent food, plus a dancing contest and a best-dressed contest," said Johnny Riley, CEO of Bridging the Gaps of Arkansas, an organization that reopened the Sandflat Center and joins individuals together to address issues that affect communities.
"Our goal here tonight is work with the community and the public safety officers before there is a crisis," Riley said.
There were about 20 block parties in both Texarkana, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas, according to police reports.
There were also block parties in Wake Village, Texas, New Boston, Texas, and other communities.
"Things have changed a lot from when most of us grew up where everyone knew everybody who lived on our street. With all our busy schedules today, we just don't always seem to be able to find the time to relax and talk with those who live around us. National Night Out provides us all with a chance to slow down for a couple of hours and get to know our neighbors a little bit better," said Shawn Vaughn, spokesman for Texarkana, Texas, Police Department
According to police, National Night Out has proven to be an effective, inexpensive and enjoyable program that promotes neighborhood spirit and community partnerships. Police officers, firefighters and city officials attend the neighborhood block parties to meet the citizens attending the parties.
"At the police department, we look forward to this every year because it gives us a chance to meet and visit with the people in our neighborhoods. I think it is important that people know the officers that work in their area of the city and also for the officers to know the people that live there. These relationships are critical to us being able to do our job," Vaughn said.
At Bell Park in the Texarkana, Texas, New Town Community, resident Doris Day watched the festivities with her family and friends.
Day was a longtime community organizer who is now retired from the planning but still participates.
"I've been involved with National Night Out since the inception. We used to have a parade and it always got a lot of attention," she said. "There are not as many people in the neighborhood anymore but we still get together for this."
Texarkana, Texas, Ward One City Council Member Jean Matlock dished out nachos at a nearby picnic table and said a group of police officers had already been by the event.
Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown said Texarkana is home and worth the investment of time.
"The investment of time to join hands, get to know our neighbors and take an active role in making our neighborhoods safer," Brown said in a news release. "We are fortunate to have an engaged police department that works very hard through multiple activities all year long to build relationships and forge healthy and strong connections to aid in building a safer community for us all."
National Night Out, a yearlong community-building campaign, is designed to:
-Heighten crime prevention awareness.
-Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs.
- Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
-Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.