National Night Out parties in Longview help build police-community relationships

Children play during the National Night Out party at Ware Elementary School on Tueday
Michael Cavazos/|News-Journal Photo

Longview News-Journal
By Yoleyne Romero yromero@news-journal.com
Oct 4, 2022

Ware Elementary Principal Faith Newhouse-Greer says the National Night Out party Tuesday evening at the Longview ISD campus was “for the entire community, not just (zip code) 75602.”

National Night Out is an annual community building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. About 90 parties took place Tuesday across the city and Gregg County.

While this past year’s party at Ware on West Garfield Street had about 300 to 400 people in attendance, Newhouse-Greer said she expected a much larger crowd this time.

“We’re at least expecting (500) to 600 people,” she said. “And it’s for the entire community ... We ‘wanna show the connection that we are better unified than divided so we have all of our students, and this is open to any school system. Parents are coming out, our law enforcement, first responders, just everybody bridging together to support our community.”

Police Chief Anthony Boone, Fire Chief JP Steelman, District 2 Councilwoman Nona Snoddy and City Manager Rolin McPhee also were in attendance at the Ware party.

Newhouse-Greer said this was the second year her school teamed with Thrive Longview for its National Night Out party. Along with Thrive, other local organizations such as Buckner Children and Family Services, Longview Child Development Center and Aspire Mentoring Program had booths set up offering information.

Unlike at Ware, the party at Evergreen at Longview senior living community started Tuesday afternoon.

Staff members served sloppy joes from Bodacious BBQ along with chips, tea and other goodies for the many uniformed first responders who attended. At least 40 residents from the complex had signed up for the party .

Community Director Heather Herzig said gift baskets were prizes for residents who won games of bingo. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Evergreen of Longview would hold a large carnival in celebration of National Night Out, she said, with the last time in 2019.

“We’d do it here in the parking lot behind the pool, and we’d have 500 people,” she said.

National Night Out parties were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. This past year, Evergreen of Longview put on a parade, and while it was fun, Herzig said she was glad to return to an in-person event this year.

“It’s nice to get the residents out because a lot of them became very recluse, so for me to have 40 residents in here today, it’s pretty amazing,” she said.

It’s important to take care of the police department because it takes care of the residents, Herzig said.

“It’s important to let our world know that...we can still have a good time without the crime. We can still know our neighbors, we can still love our neighbors, and know each other’s OK, and that’s super important to us,” she said.

Gregg County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan was at the Evergreen of Longview party. He said he started attending National Night Out events when he got his start in law enforcement at the sheriff’s office, he said.

“I think it’s really important that we come out and comingle with (residents), encourage people to meet their neighbors and be nosy neighbors because that’s how I think we’re ‘gonna stop crime, and that’s how I think also we’re ‘gonna be of service to each other,” he said.

His record for National Night Out parties attended in one night is a dozen, but Bryan said he wanted a more manageable number this year to be able to spend quality time with residents. He added that he believes it is important to be approachable, especially as elected officials.

“I try very hard to go to all the events that I can because I do think it’s important that people have a comfort zone about approaching us when they do have a need,” he said.