On Tuesday, August 4, neighborhoods throughout Magnolia are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the “26th Annual National Night Out” crime and drug prevention event.
National Night Out, which is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by the Southern Arkansas University Police Department, will involve more than 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world. In all, more than 37 million people are expected to participate in ‘America’s Night Out Against Crime’.
From 6 to 9 p.m. on August 4th, residents in Magnolia and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and police. The Southern Arkansas University Police Department is hosting various activities for the community.
Starting at 6 p.m. on the mall area of campus, there will be bounce houses, cotton candy and popcorn provided. The police department will hand out 200 national child identification kits which include fingerprint, DNA, and description information to help identify children in the event of an emergency. Activity books, balloons and stickers will also be distributed.
At 7 p.m. the police department along with the Student Activities Board will present the DreamWorks movie “Monsters vs. Aliens” in the Foundation Hall inside of the Reynolds Center.
“This is a good night to come out and enjoy a safe family atmosphere,” said SAU Police Chief Eric Plummer. “Representatives from SAU, the Magnolia Police Department and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department will all be out on this night to show how we work together to be good neighbors and partners of Columbia County.”
National Night Out is designed to: (1) Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts; (3) Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and (4) Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said, “This is a night for America to stand together to promote awareness, safety and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in our fight to build a safer nation. On August 4th, we invite neighborhoods nationwide to join us in Giving Crime and Drugs A Going Away Party.”
Please join us in building a safer community here in Magnolia and at SAU.
