Both Columbus and Starkville will host their annual National Night Out on Crime block parties this week.
Held every year, usually on the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out is a nationwide event to promote community policing and deter crime. In Columbus and Starkville, that means family friendly events where officers mingle with the public, answer questions about law enforcement and build relationships which city officials hope will build trust between the departments and people in the community.
“It’s to show the community that we’re taking our streets back and we’re not afraid to come out,” Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said during Thursday’s Columbus Police Department Overview Committee meeting Thursday.
In Columbus, there will four block parties around the city, from 5-7:30 p.m. Families can come out for food and children’s activities, such as jump castles, as well as safety information from local police officers. Volunteers at the parties will also give away free backpacks full of school supplies for families in need.
Shelton added the event is the same day as Lowndes County elections, and suggested citizens attend the events after voting. The city council will also meet two hours early, at 3 p.m., so that the council meeting doesn’t overlap with the events.
The parties will be held at Sim Scott Park on 20th Street North, Townsend Park Stage on Ninth Avenue South, Sandfield Community Center at 617 Oak St. and Columbus High School Patio on Hemlock Street.
Starkville will host National Night Out two days later, on Thursday, due to elections Tuesday. It will see one event, from 7-10 p.m. at the Sportsplex on Lynn Lane.
Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill expects the event to attract 300-400 people who can enjoy free food, games and bounce castles and other activities for children.
Spruill said National Night Out is an opportunity for the police to engage with the public and create a “safe space” for adults and children alike. She added she hopes the public is reminded of the police’s role in the community: to protect and serve.
“I think it’s one of the ways we make sure everyone understands the police are a part of the community,” she said. “(We want people to) call them when they need (police) and that they don’t feel threatened by them, and that’s what they do. They protect us. We want kids to want to become policemen.”
The events are free for the public.
Dispatch reporter Mary Pollitz contributed to this report.
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