Tuesday August 2nd, 2016 :: 03:18 p.m. EDT
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department kicked off the 33rd Annual National Night out Tuesday by recognizing organizations and individuals who have worked hard to fight crime in their neighborhoods.
“Neighborhoods are at the core of community-based policing,” IMPD Chief of Police Troy Riggs said. “Through neighborhoods we are not only creating and maintaining active police/community partnerships but assisting residents in identifying and solving problems to improve the quality of life where they live and play.”
Each of IMPD’s Districts presented an award to those “Who through their voluntary and demonstrable acts and engagements have either helped to make their neighborhoods safer, maintained a viable Crime Watch group, created a new and successfully functioning Crime Watch group, or launched a much needed police/community relationship that has proven helpful in supporting a better quality of life for their neighbors and neighborhood.”
Honorees receiving 2016 Community Crime Fighters of the Year awards were:
- Downtown District – Garry Chilluffo, St. Joseph Neighborhood Association
- East District – Far Eastside Action Coalition (FEAC)
- North District – Carleen Carter, Crown Hill Neighborhood Association
- Northwest District – Residents of The Woods of North Kessler
- Southeast District – Bernie Price, Bean Creek Neighborhood Association
- Southwest District – Tina Graham, Mars Hill Crime Watch Group
National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The original concept was for everyone in the neighborhood to sit on their porches for an hour with the light on to show a united front and send the message to criminals that “there are more of us than there are of you.”
There are more than 100 National Night out events are taking place including:
- The Lord’s Pantry, 6 – 9 p.m.
- Mars Hill at the George Goodwin Center, 5 – 8 p.m.
- Butler-Tarkington at 260 Berkely Road, 5:30 – 8 p.m.
- Oxford Neighborhood Association at Washington Park, 6 – 9 p.m.
- Mapleton Fall Creek at Al Polin Park, 5 – 7 p.m.
- Crown Hill Cemetery, 6 – 9 p.m.
- Oak Hill Civic Association at Douglass Family Center, 6 – 7 p.m.
- Garfield Park, 6 – 8 p.m.
SOURCE: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department