HIGH POINT, N.C. — Law enforcement agencies across the country are spending the night building relationships.
National Night Out is an annual event where police officers go out into the community to talk to people about their concerns and solutions in their neighborhood.
The main goal, creating safer communities.
High Point police said they credit events like NNO for the decrease in violent crime.
They said right now, violent crime is down 5% compared to the beginning of the year.
Over a dozen neighborhoods in High Point are seeing police officers Tuesday night.
This is all in an effort to strengthen relationships, not just for residents but officers too.
"When you look at the city of High Point as a whole, like I said before, the crime rate is down. We can’t do it as an entire city, but it comes from officers, teams units, divisions, whatever it may be, going out in those communities and really just developing those relationships I think that’s a direct result of where we are today,” said Major Matt Truitt at the High Point police department.
Others in the community said they agree, events like this are essential.
Sherrie Ross-Adams is a staff member at the Boys and Girls Club in High Point.
She said she's seen firsthand what the positive presence of law enforcement can do in a community.
"Of all of the people that have come through here it has made everyone have a closer bond. The kids are more familiar and more comfortable with the police that come through, the boys and girls club workers that come through, the housing employees that come through. They all say they all seem to be really comfortable and get to know everyone,” said Ross-Adams.
National Night Out has been a widely participated event for nearly 40 years.
The Greensboro police department has received more than 20 national awards based on community participation for NNO.