LAPLACE – Residents throughout the River Parishes will join forces with neighborhoods nationwide Tuesday night as they take a stand against crime in their communities.
Groups in all three parishes are organizing block parties and neighborhood barbecues as part of the area’s participation in the 25th annual National Night Out Against Crime/Drug Prevention Event, said organizers from the St. John, St. Charles and St. James Parish Sheriff’s Offices.
|
|
efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community relations and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
“We always have a big turnout for St. John,” said Capt. Michael Hoover, commander of the St. John Sheriff’s Office community relations division. “In the past, the parish has won numerous awards for participation. Residents call us a month in advance to schedule block parties and events.”
Hoover said the parish does not do one big event. It allows the individual communities to organize their own size parties. Hoover said the parish normally averages 40 to 45 community parties.
“Deputies travel from party to party armed with all sorts of giveaways,” said Hoover. “We often get together with the fire department to show off some of our equipment for the kids. We also get a good chance to gauge the community spirit, but we want these events to get people out of their homes and into the neighborhood.”
In St. Charles Parish, the participation is slightly less, but the community spirit is just as strong.
Susie Gauthier, Night Out coordinator for St. Charles, said the parish normally schedules around 20 parties a year involving a lot of the same groups.
“There is a lot of interaction between deputies and citizens,” said Gauthier. “We make sure that parties specify if they have kids in attendance so that deputies can be ready with equipment to show off.”
In St. James Parish, families in the Vacherie area get together to stage one big local party for all the residents in the region.
All Night Out block parties or events normally run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday night. According to the Night Out web site, the theme of this year’s night is “Giving crime and drugs a going away party.”
Both Hoover and Gauthier said the Sheriff’s Offices like to have all parties registered and cleared by Monday. Anyone still wishing to schedule an even should call Gauthier at 985-783-1355, or Hoover at 985-652-7058.
Comments
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. The L'Observateur is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in The L'Observateur reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of L'Observateur. L'Observateur does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized L'Observateur spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!