Several central Ohio communities will be participating in National Night Out activites this evening.
The annual event is designed to build and improve police-community relations. Dozens of events are scheduled in the Columbus area. Columbus police have posted a list of events on the division's website. Another event this evening called "Night Out for Safety and Liberation" attempts to draw attention away from policing and punishment as ways to stop crime. Organizers say crime fighting should involve people having a living wage job, healthy food, healthcare, housing, education, youth programming, trauma recovery, drug treatment, mental health services, and more.The events in Linden, the Hilltop, the south side and other neighborhoods feature community members, students, and people of faith. The events are organized by the People's Justice Project, which has been protesting Columbus police mistreatment of African-Americans.
