It’s the biggest block party of the year and you’re invited to host it!
Residents of Bossier City and Bossier Parish are encouraged to take part in National Night Out on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, by holding block parties, cook outs or other outdoor activities to help build strong bonds with their neighbors and watch out for one another in an effort to fight crime.
National Night Out is an annual nationwide crime prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch. It is designed to: (1) heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnership; and (3) send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
National Night Out has traditionally been held on the first Tuesday in August, but the National Association of Town Watch registration page (http://natw.org/registration) also lists the October date for National Night Out events.
Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington encourages neighborhoods and residents in the parish to participate in Bossier Parish National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6 – 9 p.m.
Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with other area law enforcement agencies, moved their Night Out events to October in order to enjoy the event during the cooler weather.
“National Night Out is a night for people in neighborhoods all over Bossier Parish to stand united against crime,” said Whittington. “It’s designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and strengthen partnerships between our neighbors and law enforcement. I encourage residents to hold block parties, cook outs or other outdoor activities to help build strong bonds with their neighbors and get to know the deputies who patrol their area.”
Sheriff Whittington also encourages newly-developed subdivisions or neighborhoods that have not previously held an event to sign up to host a block party.
Information for Bossier Parish
To host a block party in your neighborhood for Bossier Parish National Night Out, please contact Dep. Josh Cagle at 208-4327 or 965-2203 or via e-mail at jcagle@bossiersheriff.com.
Information for Bossier City
Persons planning a Bossier City National Night Out event that requires the closure of a city street – such as a block party – must submit a petition to the Community Services Division of the Bossier City Police Department with 51% of the residents’ signatures of the street to be blocked. Petitions will be subject to approval by the Bossier City Police Department. Street closures will be limited to single blocks and will not include major thoroughfares so as not to impede emergency vehicles and regular traffic.
Residents must also fill out a Bossier City National Night Out registration form and return it to the Community Services Division at the address on the form. Completed registration forms may also be submitted via fax or email. All forms and petitions must be returned no later than October 2, 2015 so that block party visits from police and fire personnel may be scheduled efficiently.
Bossier City National Night Out registration forms are available at the following locations:
-The BCPD lobby at 620 Benton Road.
-The Bossier City Public Safety Training Complex at 5850 Shed Road.
-Forms may be downloaded as a fillable PDF file from the City of Bossier City website at www.bossiercity.org or from the Bossier City Police Department website at www.bossierpolice.com.
-Residents can also have forms emailed to them by calling 741-8662.
For more information residents may call the Community Services Division of the Bossier City Police Department at 741-8330.
