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EUCLID, Ohio (WJW) – All across Northeast Ohio, local communities participated in National Night Out. It’s an annual event that aims to improve police-community relations.

People in Euclid packed Harmony Park Tuesday afternoon as the community shared a meal and stood side by side with Euclid police officers.

“Right in the heart of it. This area sometimes gets more violence, incidents. We are here to take back our streets,” said Euclid police sergeant Shon Williams. “Bridging the gap is key in policing. The police are the community, the community are the police.”

This comes just days after a Euclid police officer was convicted of assaulting a Black motorist during a 2017 traffic stop.

“Establishing those relationships from the ground up. The small things matter in trying to rebuild after anything that has happened in the past or currently,” Williams said.

A moment of silence was held at Cleveland‘s event in Steelyard Commons for lives lost in the city to violent crimes.

More than 100 municipalities across Ohio will participate in this year’s National Night Out.

Dozens of people in Solon gathered at the city’s community center for their National Night Out, the community and local law enforcement working together to make neighborhoods safer.

“Knowing that police and the community should be coming together. That is what community policing is and that is what we are here for,” Williams said.