Chattanooga Police Department Kick off the First “CommUNITY Walk” of 2016

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Monday kicked off the Chattanooga Police Department’s first “CommUNITY Walk” of the year.

The walk gave local law enforcement the chance to get to know the people they are serving.

And for those community members to get to know them.

Community members of the Belvoir neighborhood welcomed the Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments into their backyards.

It gave the chance for enforcement and Belvoir community members the chance to get to know each other, said Chattanooga Police Fred Fletcher.

“We like to do this because it allows you to engage people who might not normally come to meetings. we do a lot of meetings inside in rooms and they tend to be self selecting and we want to engage people who might not normally get out to events. That way we can encounter them on their streets, in their yards, on their porches…on their home turf.”

Chief Fletcher his force have been doing the community walks for 2 years now.

“When you call the police you actually know maybe somebody who’s going to be responding and you’ll feel more at ease and you know, and definitely more willing to call them and work together”. said Belvoir neighborhood member April Barger Howell.

Chief Fletcher said it’s working together and building relationships between community members that helps the entire city when solving and preventing crimes.

“Tips starts with relationships, relationships start with events like this. it’s all tied in together and its all a part of one of our core strategies which is community policing.”

Anna Jipping said after her home was broken into she felt scared when officers came into her house, but after meeting and interacting with officers during the walk she says she realizes they’re just normal people who are there to help.

“Our house got robbed twice and I was scared when the policemen came because I thought they were big and important and really scary, but I realized that they’re just like…now I realize that they’re just like people like us.”

CPD participates in these walks in various neighborhoods every other month.