Neighbor 2 Neighbor block parties set for Oct. 6
Cookouts and meet-and-greets attended by first responders
The annual opportunity for residents in Murphy neighborhoods to get to know one another in a relaxed setting, share a burger or hot dog and meet members of the Murphy Police and Fire Departments is the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 6, says Detective Brad Taylor.
“Here in Murphy, we call it Neighbor 2 Neighbor,” he said. “Other communities call it National Night Out, but the purpose is the same. We want to encourage people who live in the same neighborhoods to know each other, trust each other and look out for each other.”
Like National Night Out, Neighbor 2 Neighbor is a chance for people to lock their doors, turn on their lights and spend an evening outdoors, enjoying each other’s company and holding block parties, cookouts, and outdoor games.
Held in February last year, the evening has been moved to October to coincide with the national campaign. The evening’s festivities are cosponsored by the Murphy Police Department and the City’s Crime Watch Group, of which Detective Taylor is the coordinator.
Neighbor 2 Neighbor block parties are designed to build rapport between citizens and public safety personnel, improve and deepen trust, allow for social interaction within neighborhoods and strengthen confidence in the capabilities of the City’s public safety network.
“This is by far the best way to meet your neighbors and interact with police and fire personnel,” said Taylor. “What we want to avoid is people having to meet neighbors and first responders during an emergency. It’s much better for everyone to meet during a block party.”
Individuals, neighbors or neighborhood associations host these parties and alert the Police Department of the time and location by registering their event. The City assists with some materials and technical assistance and schedules visits from public safety personnel. Officers and firefighters will arrive, mix with local residents, answer questions, provide advice and distribute contact information. First responders will be visiting registered block parties between 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. that evening.
Anyone wishing to obtain assistance or to alert the Police Department of their event should contact either Detective Taylor at 972-468-4200 or Ms. Roni Brackett at 972-468-4211. A form will be provided for registering the block party.