With recent violence in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, some cities took a stand Tuesday by participating in National Night Out Against Crime.
The event in Providence, Rhode Island, held in the Valley neighborhood, drew more than 1,500 people. Ward 6 Councilman Michael Correia tells NBC 10 the annual event is a way of pushing back against violence plaguing the city by connecting communities with police.
“This is a good night to get everybody to come out and show that there is some good still here in the neighborhood, as well as the city,” Correia said.
In New Bedford, event organizer Jerry Pinto said he was happy with the turnout but that he would have been fine with even fewer people.
“There could only have been ten people,” Pinto, the president of Neighbors United, said. “That's ten less people that are out in the streets doing nothing.”
Pinto said the event is a chance to connect people with the public safety officers who live and work alongside them each day.
“We're trying to help break down the walls between the police department and the public, along with any public safety official that's in the city,” Pinto said.
Alyejah, Aaliyah and Saige Roderick were among those who came out to the event in Providence Tuesday. They tell NBC 10 they feel safer knowing the police officers in their neighborhood and getting to meet them at an event like this one.
“They're doing their job and they help out and I get to know them more,” Aaliyah Roderick said.
