SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) proudly inaugurated the city-wide program ‘Meet Your Neighbors’ on Monday, January 30. This community building engagement aims to help residents of Santa Monica  get to know their neighbors by encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone.

The idea for the event was born out of the interaction between SMPD and the community over a cup of coffee when the SMPD participated in National Coffee with a Cop Day on October 2016. Through this interaction, the community got an opportunity to know the men and women working for the local law enforcement agency. The department noticed that the residents did not know their neighbors well and believed the more unified the community, the stronger it becomes.

During the ‘Meet Your Neighbors’ event, the SMPD will enter all participants into a raffle for a free block party. The SMPD believes strong bonds could be built through these interactions and could grow into lasting relationships.

The SMPD encourages the community to engage in a similar practice so that residents in their neighborhoods strengthen the unity within. Police Chief Jacqueline A. Seabrooks also encouraged residents to host a get-together on their block to get to know their residents better.

The individual neighbor gatherings must be registered online at www.santamonicapd.org to be eligible for the SMPD-hosted block party. The department requests the participants to tag them in photos of the community events posted via social media.

For those with questions about Community Affairs email community.affairs@smgov.net or call (310) 458-8474 for more information about how to plan an event and build more bonds in your community.