Crestview PD putting light on crime with Unity Flashlight Walk

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department will hold a meeting on Nov. 19 to discuss the inaugural Community Unity Flashlight Walk.

The planning meeting for the walk will be held at Warriors Hall beginning at 6 p.m.

“This is an opportunity for the community and people in public safety to fellowship and show a partnership and unity,” said Crestview Police Chief Stephen McCosker. “It also allows us to demonstrate that we are united in crime prevention and taking care of the issues, including the perception of crime.”

McCosker hopes to build on a connection that he said already exists in the city by creating more of a neighborhood feel for the entire community. By creating a that feel, he hopes residents will be more inclined to work with the police department.

“People need to realize that it’s not just the police department’s job (to deter crimes),” McCosker said. “It’s our job as a community to report crime, to deter crime and work with the police department to fight crime.”

While the planning meeting will give residents a chance to give their thoughts on how the walk should go and when it should occur, McCosker already has some ideas of his own. He would like to start the walk one evening next year outside of City Hall and keep the walk to a mile or a mile and half.

“I want everyone to be able to do it,” McCosker said. “Hopefully this is something we could do annually. We’d like to make this an event, not just to walk.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview PD putting light on crime with Unity Flashlight Walk