National Night Out: Crime prevention in North Channel Communities

Wood Shadows II President Warren Lewis served chili hotdogs to his neighborhood crime fighters as they gathered at his home for an evening of mixing and mingling to discuss how to make their neighborhood safer. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
Wood Shadows II President Warren Lewis served chili hotdogs to his neighborhood crime fighters as they gathered at his home for an evening of mixing and mingling to discuss how to make their neighborhood safer. (Photo by Allan Jamail)

By Allan Jamail

Houston, TX. – October 2, 2018 – Sue Blackburn a resident of Houston’s Wood Shadows I and Warren Lewis, President of Wood Shadows II Civic Club went door to door, block by block handing out flyers inviting their neighbors to come to their house party for a meet and greet.

Block by block, house by house citizens gathered in their neighborhoods in a concerted effort to discuss ways they can help each other prevent falling victim to crimes.

The event has been held annually since 1984, simply with neighbors turning on their porch lights and sitting in front of their homes. The annual event focuses on the community and raising awareness in the United States and to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood friendship to make neighborhoods safer.

The events are typically organized by block leaders. They can be as simple as cookouts with food, games and music to increase awareness about police programs in communities, such as drug prevention, neighborhood watch and other anti-crime efforts.

Jacinto City had five separate locations for citizens to go get crime prevention literature, food, refreshments and meet police officers. Galena Park had their event at the City Hall.