The benefit of time passing is the opportunity to reflect on the past. On Tuesday, August 5th, we gathered together at the Hayes Valley Playground to Celebrate National Night Out (NNO), in the Western Addition for the seventh year. As I reflect back on the first NNO event, I see how, as a community, we have built a strong community policing foundation through collaboration and partnerships in Community Partners United (CPU). We have put authentic meaning to the phrase ‘Let the People Lead and the Leaders will follow’. As with all partnerships, it takes time to build trust, but if all share a common vision and a shared commitment, time only makes them grow stronger.

The beauty of the event for me was the natural harmony that prevailed amongst all those in attendance. The police, civic leaders, city departments, educators, CBO’s, neighborhood groups, youth, families, neighbors, friends and members of the ‘hood all came together to share food, fun and entertainment, brought together by our shared vision to foster a safe and caring community. Each person in attendance was a piece to the puzzle and as with all puzzles, it takes all pieces to complete the picture – a united community that balances the need to protect with the need to find proactive solutions to crime and violence.

Reflection on the past gives us the opportunity to fine-tune a shared community vision. There has been tremendous change in our neighborhood. Our diverse community has come together to tear down a freeway, to rebuild our parks and public housing, to save John Muir from closure and to advocate for more beat officers and demand ample resources so all residents have an equal playing field. Our strength as a community is that we are steadfast in our attitude that we are all part of the problem and the solution. We have both the ear and active participation of Supervisor Mirkarimi, MONS and SFPD to partner with us to reverse the negative effects of crime and violence in the ‘hood. As a friend often says to me, we are on large ship and we are slowly turning it by our strong and successful community policing model. To speed up this process, we all, as a united community, need to participate. Each community member plays a different role in the process of moving from problem to solution.

So take the time to figure out your role in the process and assume it, because as a unified community we can move any mountain. In closing I want to extend special thanks from CPU and HVNA to our partners:
•Josh and the children of HV Playground – our hosts
•Northern Police Station Captain Casciato, Sgt Griffin, Lt. Slade and the beat officers
•Safety Network
•WA CRN
•Supervisor Mirkarimi, Val and staff
•Mike Farrah, Camille and the staff of MONS
•Miss Ruby and the WA Drill Team
•Horace Tolson & SGI-USA Golden Gate Chorus
•All the CBO’s who participated