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NATCHEZ — Tonight, Natchez Police Officers and Adams County Sheriff’s Office join other departments nationwide and invite the community to celebrate National Night Out with them on the Natchez Bluff.

National Night Out is a community event that aims to help law enforcement officers build relationships with the members of the community they have sworn to serve and protect.

Natchez Police Chief Cal Green said the NPD is helping foster these community relationships with a caravan with lights and sirens through neighborhoods starting at 5:30 p.m. from the Natchez Police Department.

The caravan will be followed by community fun served hot dogs on the Natchez Bluff starting around 6:30 p.m.

“It’s a time of fellowship to meet your neighbors and your brothers and sisters in blue at the same time,” Green said. “We are trying to be more community-policing-oriented and make that personal connection with our citizens so they can put a name and face to who is serving and protecting them.”

Green said few people realize the “many-tiered” approach to community policing. A lot of people call when something negative is going on but few have the opportunity to meet their officers over something positive — an opportunity National Night Out provides.

It’s a combined effort,” she said. “I believe that this is another one of those things that adds to our success in reducing the murder rate and crime rate. The more we include the community in whatever it is that we’re doing the more it fosters a closeness between community and law enforcement.”

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said ACSO would also have a caravan separately from NPD that goes out into Adams County but would join city police officers and community members on the Natchez Bluff following the caravan.

“A community thrives on how well its law enforcement and civilians work together,” Patten said. “This is both the law enforcement’s and community’s time to come and fellowship with each other and to show their appreciation for one another. We invite everyone to come out in their community as we’re driving through, honk your horn, wave, say hello and greet us at the stops. We also ask the community to come out of their pockets and corners and fellowship with officers out on the bluff and enjoy a day that is worth celebrating.”

Patten said ACSO’s caravan route is as follows: Depart Adams County Sheriff’s Office at 5 p.m. to Selma Estates (first stop); Morgantown Road to Steamplant Road; Broadmoor Drive to the Heights; from the Heights through Holiday Appartments; Seargent S. Prentiss Drive to Liberty Road; from Lagrange to Woodland Hills Subdivision; Plantation Trailer Park to Susie B West Apartments and last stop on the Natchez Bluff.