NATCHEZ — National Night Out is aimed at creating a relationship between law enforcement and residents.

And this year, even though National Night Out falls on election day, the show will go on.

Both the Natchez Police Department and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office plan to make stops in various neighborhoods Aug. 7.

Members of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office will make stops in Cranfield, Sibley, LaGrange, Elgin and Providence, but not necessarily that order. They’ll spend about 45 minutes at each location.

Even though Sheriff Ronny Brown is running for re-election, he said he is making a point to continue this year.

“The purpose is to have law enforcement and the community working together,” Brown said. “I should probably be at the polls politicking, but I’m going to be (with the tour). It’s that important.”

Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said four years ago, National Night Out was on election night, too, and it seemed to work out.

His department will make roughly 10 stops throughout the city that night, spending roughly 15 minutes at each, Mullins said.

Resident involvement is vital to successful law enforcement, he said.

“They are our eyes and ears,” Mullins said. “We need people who are alert to what’s going on in their neighborhood. We can’t be there all the time, but they are.”

Alert residents are often the key to solving crimes, he said.

“They can recognize if there’s something out of the ordinary that an officer might not see,” Mullins said.

Both city and county schedules will be released closer to Aug. 7.