by Shawn Nowlin
There is a potent quote that goes, “The police are the public and the public are the police.”
In today’s climate, it’s so important that interactions between local police and residents go beyond just an occasional encounter or when something goes wrong.
Created in 1984, National Night Out is a yearly observation meant to foster a better relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Held annually on the first Tuesday of August, the popular event is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.
Roughly 2.5 million residents across 400 communities in 23 states participated in the first National Night Out. Last year’s event involved more than 41 million residents across 16,500 communities in the United States.
On Aug. 6, hundreds of people filled up McCadden Park to participate in Roanoke’s version of the event. There were games for children, free food courtesy of Mission BBQ, information booths and much more.
Among those in attendance were Mayor Sherman Lea, Vice Mayor Joe Cobb, Councilwoman Stephanie Moon-Reynolds, Sen. David Suetterlein (R-Salem), Sheriff Antonio Hash and Captain Deatria Muse.
From 5 to 8:30 pm, a clear message was sent out – there is much more that unites different fractions of Roanoke than the opposite.
“Authenticity is something that Roanoke residents can easily spot. It was beautiful to see people share positive stories with law enforcement and vice versa. Despite our political and religious differences, at the end of the day, we all want what’s best for our families and to leave the world a better place for future generations,” Jim Dockery said.
Chris Thomason purposefully attended the event with his two younger siblings. “Gatherings like this don’t happen every day. It is more than fair to say that there are bad cops,” he said. “It’s also true that the overwhelming percentage of cops do their job to the best of their abilities. I wanted to show my brother and sister what healthy interactions with police officers looked like.”
Last Tuesday’s celebration was a collaborative effort between United Way of Roanoke Valley, the Gun Violence Prevention Commission, Central Baptist Church, Roanoke Arts Commission and Roanoke Parks & Rec.
Despite the tireless work that happened behind the scenes, event organizer Mac McCadden says it was all worth it in the end. “Events like this show what is possible in Roanoke when people come together for a common cause,” he said. “Roanoke is a caring community full of individuals willing to go above and beyond to make a difference. The best of our city was put on full display.”
