Night Out Against Crime is Thursday

Community members have the opportunity to meet and socialize with the first responders who serve them on a daily basis at the third annual Night Out Against Crime on Thursday at Lawrence Park in Morgan City.
Morgan City police are partnering again with Doric Lodge 205 in Morgan City to host the night out from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday in Lawrence Park.
Event organizers created the local event in conjunction with the National Night Out, which is an annual community-building campaign promoting partnerships between police and communities “and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live,” according to the National Association of Town Watch’s website.
The organization puts on the national night out and consists of a network of law enforcement agencies, neighborhood watch groups, civic groups, state and regional crime prevention associations and concerned citizens, according to the website.
Thursday’s event will include food, games and displays from other area agencies.
Door prizes will also be given away to kids and adults. Swamp Pop musician Don Rich will play music during the activities Thursday night at the park.
All the first responders that affect the Morgan City community will have displays at the event, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said.
The night is “a community-oriented event to bring the community and the area first responders together,” Blair said.
The public will be able to interact with first responders and develop relationships, Blair said.
Blair, who also serves as master of Doric Lodge 205, said organizers normally hold the event around the beginning of October because the weather is cooler than when the traditional national night out takes place in August.
“We cannot succeed as an organization if we do not foster and develop a positive relationship with the community that we serve,” Blair said. “That is one benefit of having events like this.”
The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, U.S. Coast Guard, Louisiana State Police, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary Parish Office of Homeland Security are among the agencies represented at the night out.
Among the games at the night out will be a “backyard fishing game” with representatives from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Blair said.
A Run Against Crime 5K race and 1-mile fun run will begin at 6 p.m. at the park. The race entry fee is $20 for adults and $15 for children.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com.