The Victoria Police Department is putting a new spin on its National Night Out this year with National Night In, replacing community meetups with safer methods of building camaraderie between neighbors and first responders.
“National Night Out is usually an opportunity for people to meet their neighbors and to meet the officers assigned to their zone so we know each other before an emergency happens,” said Officer John Turner. “It will be a challenge to replicate that during COVID-19, but we’re going to try and make it work regardless.”
On Oct. 6, instead of meeting each other in person, residents are being asked to leave their porch lights on or display a blue lightbulb to show solidarity with each other and with law enforcement.
Also Oct. 6, the Victoria Police Department, the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Public Safety, the City of Victoria Fire Department and the Victoria County Fire Department will host parades 5:30-8:30 p.m. in neighborhoods around the city. Maps of the parade routes and a list of neighborhoods to be visited are available on the Victoria Police Department’s Facebook page.
During the week leading up to National Night Out, the Victoria Police Department will share videos on social media provided by community organizations, businesses and nonprofits to promote safety, crime prevention and community involvement. The video project is new this year, and Turner said the department may decide to continue the tradition.
“Neighborhood engagement is increasingly moving toward social media, especially with Nextdoor and other neighborhood apps,” Turner said. “Building engagement on social media will hopefully help us to meet people where they are.”
For more information and updates, visit www.victoriatx.gov/police or the Victoria Police Department’s Facebook page.
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