A number of New Hampshire cities and towns are taking part in this year’s National Night Out on Tuesday evening.
The annual events are aimed at building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community.
Captain Mike Schwartz with the Portsmouth Police Department says that’s particularly important this year, as the state deals with the growth in heroin and opioid abuse.
“People are realizing that,” Schwartz says of the drug abuse problem. “This is a chance to talk to law enforcement about that, how to keep your neighborhood safe, how to network with your neighbors, or call if something doesn’t look right.”
Schwartz says Portsmouth’s National Night Out is part of a broader community policing strategy, which includes both person to person contact and social media outreach.