PHOTOS: National Night Out in Alexandria Draws Community to Mingle and Play with Local Law Officers
ALEXANDRIA, VA – From Arlandria to Auburn Village to Del Ray to Carlyle, they came out. Families, young adults, seniors, and pet dogs poured out from their homes onto lawns, parks and squares August 1 to celebrate National Night Out, held each year on the first Tuesday in August. It is a sobering night, one that addresses rising crime and public safety. But it is also a night of celebration where Alexandria communities come together to get to know the people who keep them safe.
National Night Out is designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, generate support for anti-crime programs, and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized, and working with law enforcement to help prevent crime.
Elected officials bounced all over town Tuesday night, trying to hit up as many neighborhood gatherings as possible in a three-hour window. Zebra Press caught up with Vice Mayor Amy Jackson at John Carlyle Square as she rushed off to the next event.
“From the West End to the East End, we want to see how our communities are doing. This is my second stop here at Carlyle. Carlyle is a huge hub in our community. This is the 40th anniversary of National Night Out and Alexandria is bringing it!”
The Carlyle Council pulled out all the stops Tuesday night, giving residents and visitors a giant outdoor party, free barbecue and drinks, vendors, prizes and a bike repair station. Participants kicked back on the giant lawn, children splashed in the water fountains, and the DJ got everyone up to dance with some rousing favorites. Morgan Babcock is Council Manager for Carlyle Council.
“We are having our Commuter Fair along with National Night Out. The Commuter Fair helps Carlyle residents and other Alexandrians figure out how to not use the Single Occupancy Vehicle. They can use Metro, bike, VRE, anything that reduces cars on the road. As you know, traffic in Alexandria can be a bit much some days,” Babcock said. “We paired it with National Night Out to be able to give back to our community and appreciate all those public safety departments that sacrifice for us and give so much to the city.”
Each year the Alexandria Police and Fire Departments, Sheriff’s Office, City officials, other City agencies, and non-profit organizations partner with the community to celebrate National Night Out. From community cookouts to open houses, block parties, and athletic events, 39 Alexandria neighborhoods lit up the night Tuesday night.
“National Night Out is a fun evening for all,” said Police Chief Don Hayes. “Our agency believes in community policing and National Night Out gives us a chance to celebrate our success in working together to reduce crime and improve the quality of life throughout our city.”
While Alexandria residents danced and ate and chatted with emergency personnel, Mother Nature got in on the fun too. Low humidity, a delightful midsummer evening, few mosquitos, and no violent thunderstorms meant Alexandrians turned out in force last night. But “crime is up in our city,” Vice Mayor Jackson noted, and “city officials are listening.”
Jackson highlighted additional concerns city residents will undoubtedly bring up. “Duke Street in Motion will be one of the topics, affordable housing, and schools. Schools start in two and a half weeks with two schools going up. “
City Councilwoman Alyia Gaskins popped into Carlyle on her way to several more stops before the evening’s end. Crime, of course, is the main topic, she asserted, but she also wishes to tackle safety of a different sort, the safety of crossing the street and navigating the city on bicycle and foot. Gaskins talked about Vision Zero with The Zebra.
“Vision Zero is a national initiative and City Council adopted a resolution several years ago. The goal is to make sure we have zero traffic related fatalities. Within that, there are a number of important efforts along the way. The first is around education and pedestrian safety. How do you change the roads, whether that’s speed bumps, stop signs, or traffic calming measures. We really want to ensure that no matter how you move in our city, it is safe to do so. We’re also doing a lot of awareness campaigns and using the legislative and policy tools that we have to ensure that we have safer streets for all.”
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