Mid City Times

Community policing has long been at the core of the Arlington Police Department’s identity – and perhaps there’s no better example of that than the department’s recent participation in National Night Out (NNO) and National Faith and Blue Weekend.

During the week of October 1, 2023, APD employees took part in nearly 270 community events related to both initiatives.

Arlington neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations hosted 155 NNO block parties and community events that officers attended.

Faith-based organizations and houses of worship across the city invited officers to participate in 114 registered events during Faith and Blue Weekend.

“That tells me our community wants to engage with their police department and our officers want to engage with the community they serve,” said Chief of Police Al Jones. “That’s what it’s all about. Building relationships between community members and officers, so we can partner to reduce crime, prevent crime, and ensure Arlington remains a safe place for all.”

 National Night Out is an annual event that encourages residents to get out of their homes and meet with their neighbors as well as the first responders who serve their area. Arlington consistently has one of the highest NNO participation rates in the country – and has finished in the top three of the National Association of Town Watch’s annual rankings for cities with a population greater than 300,000 every year since 2015.

 National Faith and Blue Weekend launched in 2020 and is the brainchild of an organization called MovementForward, Inc. It’s based on the idea that faith-based organizations, regardless of religion or denomination, have significant influence and reach within the congregations they serve – and by connecting them with local law enforcement, they can partner to share information, promote public safety, and provide communities with direct access to the officers who patrol their neighborhoods if they have concerns or problems. In 2022, only New York City hosted more Faith and Blue events than Arlington.

 “I’m incredibly proud of our city and our employees for showing up like they did this year,” said Chief Jones.

Original source can be found here.