National Night Out Across RVA | News

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- National Night Out is an exercise in taking back streets, reclaiming neighborhoods, and building communities one party at a time.

In Chesterfield, Richmond, Hanover, Henrico, and all across the Richmond Metropolitan Area tens of thousands celebrated the evening.

In Richmond, the Church Hill and surrounding area is used to flashing blue after dark and yellow police tape.

"Burglaries, robberies, some of anything," said Michelle Whitaker.

"There's so much crime and so much killing and stuff," added Lena Hill.

But on this night is National Night Out and amidst the dancing, music, and laughter is a glimpse of what this community can be when fueled by the spirit of those who refuse to let crime in.

"People having fun instead of being crazy and going to fight each other and violence," said Lil Ron Horton.

The night is focused on reclaiming neighborhoods.

If we're taking back the streets and we're outside right now," said Sgt. Carol Adams, who planned the entire event for the Richmond area. "Then all the criminal element has is to crawl away and that's the message we want to send."

The event is just days after a major arrest in a Jeff Davis Highway shooting, an arrest where police point to the community as leaders in solving the crime.

"Every year our violent crime keeps dropping and dropping and dropping," said Chief Bryan Norwood, with the Richmond Police. "I definitely think it's the relationships we have in our community because that's how we solve crime and that's how we prevent crime."

"Events like this bring the people together and everything," added Horton.  

Police say keeping that momentum going, fighting this fight, will mean working together long after tonight.

"After tonight it's still important for them to look out for each other, go back to their communities and keep their lights on," said Adams. "Know who neighbors are."

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