NATCHEZ — National Night Out is celebrated in many parts of the nation on the first Tuesday of October and the Natchez Police Department is planning an event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday on the bluff to mark the occasion.

Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong said Tuesday’s event would be the second straight year the department has held the event on the bluff off of Broadway Street overlooking the Mississippi River.

“National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie,” according to the organization’s website.

“The whole idea is to give people in the community an opportunity to get to know one another,” Armstrong said. “That’s the main goal. Secondary to that is to allow the community to connect with law enforcement.”

Armstrong said the bluff would be set up with cookouts, music and games.

“The weather is going to be good,” Armstrong said. “We’ve already checked.”

The entire community is invited to attend, Armstrong said, and member of local neighborhood watch committees will be on hand, too.

“We are encouraging everyone to come out to fellowship with one another,” Armstrong said.  “What we hope to accomplish is to translate into a safer community. The more eyes and ears we have watching over the community the better.”

Armstrong especially encouraged people who are not part of organized neighborhood watch parties to come out.

“We are trying to reach those who are not part of a neighborhood watch, so they can go back to their neighborhood and start a watch program,” Armstrong said. “Give us a call at the Natchez Police Department (601-445-5565) to get help to establish neighborhood watch programs.”

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office will hold its National Night Out event from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. Oct. 8 this year, said Lt. Cal Green.

Traditionally, the ACSO travels around to various communities in the county on National Night Out.

“We will be traveling around meeting with different neighborhood watch committees,” Green said. “It gives us the opportunity to talk to everyone in their neighborhoods. We like to meet the people in the communities and they like to talk to the deputies. We do it that way because the county is so spread out that it is difficult to find one place for everyone to meet.”

Green said she anticipates the ACSO will make stops at places throughout the county, including Providence, the Airport Road area, Selma Estates, Sibley, Morgantown and few places in the city.

Many parts of the nation, including Texas and Louisiana, hold National Night Out events the first Tuesday in August, as was the case with Vidalia, Ferriday and Clayton this year, said Lt. Miranda Clifton of the Vidalia Police Department.