National Night Out fights crime in St. Petersburg

Monday, August 13, 2007

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Chris Kelly was one of many St. Petersburg residents at Neighborhood Night Out.

By Michael Maharrey
Neighborhood News Bureau
ST. PETERSBURG (Bay News 9) -- Neighbors came together outside of the South Heritage Rehabilitation and Nursing Home last week to show a united front against crime in the Bartlett Park Neighborhood.

The gathering was part of National Night Out, a nationwide event started in 1984 to generate support for neighborhood anti-crime programs. NNO also seeks to strengthen partnerships between the police and their communities and to show criminals that neighborhoods are organized against crime. More than 34 million people participated in 2006, according to NNO's website.

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National Night Out

Brian Wyllie, who has only lived in Bartlett Park for four months, stood on a neighborhood sidewalk among long-time residents holding a sign that read, "Say no to dope. Say yes to hope!"

Wyllie says that it is important for everyone in the neighborhood to band together to fight crime.

"You wouldn't want to start a war with one guy shooting a gun," he said. "You want an army behind you."

If the neighborhood crime watch is an army, Scott Swift is one of its generals.

Swift is the vice-president of the Bartlett Park Neighborhood association and the activities director for the crime watch. He says it is vital that people get involved in the battle against crime. Events such as NNO help raise awareness and show the neighborhood people are engaged, he said.

"If neighbors don't do their part, you won't make progress," Swift said.

The biggest factor in fighting crime is making the police aware of where it is occurring because they can't patrol everywhere, Swift said.

"Citizens have to get involved and call on the crime they see," he said. "When calls increase, there is more of a police presence and arrests increase."

Swift says he has seen slow but positive results in Bartlett Park. Calls to the police have increased from 300 to 800 calls per month over the last year.

Wyllie said he and his wife bought a home in Bartlett Park because they viewed it as a good opportunity. They came to the rally because it is important to get involved in the neighborhood. He also wants to band together with his neighbors to fight crime and hopes others will be motivated to join.

"Some people might be reluctant because they believe that the people fighting crime are weak," Wyllie said. "They may be reluctant to join because they fear retribution. But if we appear strong, it may help those on the fence get involved."

Lee Santiago, a community service officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department, and several other officers joined residents in the NNO event.

Santiago agreed that it is important to show a united front against crime and he says events like NNO help do that.

"The visibility of an event like this brings in others from the neighborhood. It also shows that the citizens are behind the police," Santiago said.

Kevin Moore, who is the activities director for the nursing home, organized the NNO rally along with the Bartlett Neighborhood Association. He wanted to show support for the neighborhood and allow nursing home residents to feel involved in the community.

"It's a two-way street," he said. "We help the community and the community helps us."

As night fell, about 30 residents had gathered. The sound of car horns honking in support of the rally mingled with strains of live blues music. Councilman Earnest Williams chatted with a resident holding a sign that read simply, "Prevent Crime."

Wylie looked over the scene and glanced toward his wife who was also holding a sign and waving at passing traffic. "We have a three-year-old daughter," he said. "We are looking to secure her future in this neighborhood."

Michael Maharrey is a reporter for the Neighborhood News Bureau, a program of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

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