National Night Out returns to the City Beautiful

On Tuesday, September 24 at 10 a.m. Laurel Mayor Johnny Magee met with Captain Shannon Carraway and members of the Laurel Police Department and community to proclaim, Tuesday, October 1, 2024 as National Night Out Against Crime Day in the city.

The event, which began in in Philadelphia as an opportunity for community members and members of law enforcement to connect in a positive way, is celebrating its 41^st year in 2024.

The Laurel Police Department began participating in the national program in 2004 hosting their annual festivities at Mason Park. In recent years, the event has been moved to the lawn in front of the police department and features free backpacks and treats for school-aged children, festival food, mechanical bull riding, and live music. The event is free and open to the public!

The proclamation read as follows:

Whereas, the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and TARGET are sponsoring a unique, nationwide crime, drug, and violence prevention program entitled, “National Night Out”, and

Whereas, the “41^st Annual National Night Out” provides a unique opportunity for the City of Laurel to join forces with thousands of other communities across the country in promoting cooperative, police-community crime prevention efforts and;

Whereas, the Laurel Police Department plays a vital role in providing crime, drug, and violence prevention efforts in the City of Laurel and supports “National Night Out 2024” locally; and,

Whereas, it is essential that all citizens of the City of Laurel be aware of the importance of crime prevention programs and the impact that their participation can have on reducing crime, drugs, and violence in Jones County; and,

Whereas, police-community partnerships, neighborhood safety, awareness, and cooperation are important themes of the “National Night Out” program

Now, therefore, I, Johnny Magee, Mayor of the City of Laurel, do hereby proclaim, Tuesday, October 1, 2024 as National Night Out Against Crime in the City of Laurel and encourage all citizens to gather at the Laurel Police Department on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. to join with the Laurel Police Department in supporting the National Night Out Against Crime initiative.

In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Laurel, Mississippi to be affixed this the 24^th day of September, A.D. 2024.