Natchez police officers will have a night out on the town tonight. They will be patrolling neighborhoods in an effort to get to know residents.Officers will travel in a convoy to each of the 14 Natchez neighborhoods signed up for the annual event, which is part of the annual National Night Out.The event is designed to encourage communication between officers and residents and to increase awareness of crime prevention.While it’s a good chance for neighbors to hold a block party on a summer night, the event is a good chance for our police department to reach out to residents and establish lines of communication that can help prevent crime.We encourage residents of those neighborhoods to take part in the Night Out. This year, officers will visit Susie B. West Apartments first, mainly because the complex has the most children. That’s a good decision, since recent events prove our children are more and more becoming not only victims but also perpetrators of crime.In fact, county and city officials broke ground Monday on a new juvenile justice facility, which when complete will house youth offenders in a separate facility from adult inmates.The separate facility is required by state law, and it’s been long overdue in Adams County.But with more outreach events like tonight’s Night Out, along with other crime prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch, police and residents can work together to ensure that new facility is never full.