The Pine Bluff Police Department is calling on residents to roll up their sleeves and take part in a community cleanup effort scheduled for Saturday, August 2, beginning at 8 a.m.
Volunteers are asked to gather at Family Church, 2309 S. Poplar, for a short safety and coordination briefing before heading into the neighborhood for the cleanup.
The event, which will conclude at 11:30 a.m., is part of the department’s broader strategy to reclaim and revitalize neighborhoods impacted by crime, blight, and neglect. The designated cleanup zone will span from Poplar to South Olive Street, stretching between 17th and 24th avenues.
“If you volunteer, please bring trash bags, weed trimmers, rakes, etc.,” said John Worthen, PBPD public information coordinator. “We could really use your help.”
Free water and snacks will be provided to all volunteers.
The cleanup is an extension of the Group Violence Intervention’s G-40 Initiative, which focuses on reducing gun violence one section at a time. Officers have already conducted door-to-door outreach in the area, engaging residents and listening to their concerns.
“The goal is to take our streets back 40 blocks at a time from gun violence,” said Kevin Crumpton, director of the GVI initiative. “We want to feel safe. This is our neighborhood and we are taking it back!”
Crumpton emphasized that the initiative is about more than just cleaning up streets — it’s about changing the culture.
“This event is about celebrating good things instead of crime, violence, hatred of police, and refusal to accept personal responsibility,” he said.
Residents throughout the city are being encouraged to support the department’s mission by following simple but effective neighborhood safety practices:
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Welcome PBPD and other agencies into the community
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Encourage visible patrol presence, including lights-on patrols
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Report suspicious activities immediately
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Report gunshots when they happen, not days later
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Report streetlight outages
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Keep yards maintained and adopt abandoned properties on each block
“Most important of all: If you see something, say something,” Worthen added. “Don’t be quiet any longer. Let the PBPD know so we can take care of it and stop criminal activity.”
Community members interested in volunteering are encouraged to simply show up at the Family Church on the morning of the event. The department hopes the cleanup will serve as a model for similar efforts in other parts of the city.
