MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Henry Hale and his neighbors in Southeast Memphis’ Ashton Oaks say National Night Out is about getting to know who lives around you, which can help fight crime.
“If you are sitting outside some people who normally loiter can’t loiter now, especially if they see a patrol car, they are gone,” Hale said.
There were plenty of patrol cars to see.
Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong and officers spent time with the neighbors, who they say are the key to fighting crime.
“At the end of the day we have 2,000 police officers and 600,000 citizens, so those 600,000 citizens far out weigh the power of anything we would ever have,” Armstrong said.
In Hein Park, police joined Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, who was also out encouraging citizens to get involved.
“A neighbor who was a little bit nosey, had a question about that car, a question about that window being open, a question about those newspapers being stacked up, that’s what are the greatest steps when it comes to safety,” Wharton said.
“We just moved to Memphis a year ago, so it is really impressive to me that they would show up and come and take this time to be amongst the people,” Robin Swanson of Hein Park said.
From Klondyke-Smokey City to all areas, neighbors were opening doors and talking.
As National Night Out wrapped up, city leaders encouraged neighbors to continue to get involved and get to know each other.