College Park Residents Meet for Neighborhood 'Walk and Talk'

College park residents, town council members and county police officers met at Duvall Field on Friday evening for a neighborhood walk and talk on public safety.

The walk and talk, which took place at 7 p.m., was the second one in College Park this summer, College Park Councilmember Fazlul Kabir says, adding that he hopes to organize more throughout the summer.

“When the weather gets warmer we see a rise in crime activities,” Kabir says. “It’s a pattern in every neighborhood.”

Cpl. Errol Lobin, the county’s public information officer, lead the event and several town council members, including Kabir and Councilmember Patrick Wojahn, attended.

“The purpose of the walk and talk is to have a positive interaction between the community members and the police department,” Lobin says. “It’s a message to them that we’re all here to work together to build a strong, robust community.

During the walks, Lobin says they hand out informational literature and pamphlets, meet residents and give out police contact information with the hope that residents will feel comfortable contacting the police if they see something. 

“Many petty thefts are related to awareness,” Kabir said. “When the weather gets warmer people try to enjoy it by leaving windows open or even leaving their doors open.”

This type of behavior, Kabir says, gives criminals easier access and opportunity to commit crimes. 

The neighborhood walk and talks are designed to keep residents informed, as well as to spur community growth, through a fun, feel-good activity, Lobin said, adding that College Park has a strong community and during the last walk there were about 25 to 30 residents. 

“If people want to put walks together they just have to plan it, call us and we’ll come out and facilitate it,” Lobin says. “It’s really a collaboration between the community and the police department.