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PARS shifts focus to neighborhood "block talks," says it cannot staff citywide National Night Out event
Summary
Prevention and Resiliency Services (PARS) presented a retooled Safe Streets strategy centered on small, resident-led "block talks," and told the Topeka Governing Body it cannot host the citywide National Night Out in 2025 without outside partners or additional resources.
Prevention and Resiliency Services executive director Mandy Chukanski told the Topeka Governing Body on Jan. 14 that PARS is refocusing the Safe Streets program on smaller, resident-led "block talks" and neighborhood-level convenings rather than a single large city-run National Night Out event.
Chukanski said PARS will emphasize helping neighborhood leaders convene, identify priorities and connect with service providers, and described block talks as a revival of grassroots neighborhood-watch functions adapted to current community preferences. PARS safe-streets lead Isabelle Hawkins described pilots in Central Park and Hillcrest where neighbors organized door-knocks, a community health fair and follow-up meetings; PARS staff said those activities…
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