Portsmouth police make a splash with community during National Night Out event, announce doorbell camera initiative
Portsmouth Police Capt. Chad Bennett positioned himself atop the wobbly, wet seat of the dunk tank as a group of young children lined up to hurl yellow softballs at the target. One solid hit would send Bennett, who had swapped his uniform for a T-shirt and swim trunks, into the cool water.
A throw missed. A second bounced back. But the third, thrown by 9-year-old Elijah Jones, hit the target square on. The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter.
The Portsmouth community came out in force Tuesday for National Night Out. Families, friends and neighbors weaved in an out of vendor booths, chatting about resources, youth programs and church services before adding another swag bag to their collection.
The event at Portsmouth City Park was one of dozens organized by police departments and communities across Hampton Roads, including a Virginia Beach event at Green Run High School that Gov. Glenn Youngkin attended. The annual nationwide event, which has been on the first Tuesday of August annually since 1984, promotes police-community partnerships while raising awareness about crime-prevention resources such as substance abuse prevention, neighborhood watch, and youth programs.
Strategically positioned near the entrance of the event was the Portsmouth Crime Tip Line team, a free resource Portsmouth residents can use to anonymously report suspicious or criminal activity. Sgt. J. Foster said her goal of the night was to reach community members they might not ordinarily reach and those who might not be aware of how the crime line works.
If a tipster has information about suspicious activity or a about crime that has occurred, they can call 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887) and press #3. Tips can also be left through the Portsmouth Crime Line Facebook page or the new P3 Tips phone app.
“The biggest thing we battle is the concern of anonymity — people think it is not really anonymous. But it is. It is 100% anonymous,” Foster said.
When submitting information, tipsters are never asked for their name or a callback number. Instead, the tipster is given a unique ID number so they can track the status of their tip online. If the information leads to an arrest or the recovery of drugs or stolen property, a crime-line liaison will give the tipster — via the online account accessible only by the unique ID number — specific information on how to pick up their cash reward. Tipsters are never asked to show identification or sign paperwork.
According to Foster, events like National Night Out are important to build trust within the community and reassure them that their identities will be protected when reporting crime.
“Callers typically live in the neighborhoods where these crimes are occurring and there’s a concern of their own safety,” Foster said. “We want to take their safety seriously and make sure that we are protecting them, but we still have to be able to get the information we need to solve crimes and take criminals off the streets.”
In 2021, the Portsmouth Crime Line received 393 tips, which resulted in seven felony arrests and solved 25 cases. Roughly $3,400 was paid out to anonymous tipsters. More than halfway through the year, the crime line has received 253 tips and paid out about $2,300 in rewards.
Participation in the nationwide crime line is just one resource the police department has made available to community members. The department’s most recent effort is the launch of a new doorbell camera community initiative. Officers will be passing out cameras from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at their Prentis Park community walk.
“Our communities are the ones who are witnessing crimes and hearing word on the street about who is involved in criminal activity. They hold the answers for us,” Foster said.
Veronica Ward, a 66-year-old lifetime resident of Portsmouth, said retaliation for reporting a crime is a real danger in some communities, “but people are here to help.”
“Every day there’s so much violence going on people are scared to even step out the door because they don’t know what they are about to walk into,” Ward said. “Don’t wait until something goes wrong. If you suspect someone, call the police.”
Ward, who sought refuge from the afternoon sun in a chair under the shade of a tree, watched as people wandered from vendor to vendor.
“This is how it should always be. People — families, children, police officers — all smiling and talking, praying for each other,” Ward said. “We have to come together like this and stay together because the officers cannot fight the crime that is going on by themselves. It takes the whole community saying enough is enough.”
Caitlyn Burchett, 727-267-6059, caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com
