Bibb County law enforcement celebrates National Night Out

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Law enforcement is asking the community to step outside Tuesday for National Night Out. It’s a positive way for the community to build a relationship with officers and stand against crime. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department, teamed up to take part in more than 30 Night Out parties around Macon.

“We join together to send criminals one message, a strong and clear message and the message is simple and the message, ‘get out’,” said Colonel Henderson Carswell, at a kick-off party Tuesday morning.

“It’s bad when people can’t go and sit on their front porch, it’s bad when people can’t when people can’t walk down the street, when people have to worry about this and worry about that,” said Kelvin Chapman, a resident at the Macon-Bibb Senior Center.

August 1st is a night when officers want you to worry a little less and come together.

“The goal of tonight is to renew our efforts and to remind us all that it’s those ten percent that are always going to break the rules and going to make it bad for everyone else,” said Bibb County’s Captain George Meadows. “The 90 percent that are good outstanding citizens need to stand with law enforcement and take our neighborhoods back.”

Chapman doesn’t see much crime in his neighborhood and says it’s because he and his neighbors stick together.

“The older you get, the more experienced you get, you realize that you need one another and that’s what the community and this is about also,” said Chapman.

The Night Out events kicked off at the Macon Terminal Station. Then it was time to load the buses and go off to the first of 34 parties. Officers, firefighters and community leaders stepped out to build relationships and enjoy the fun.

“The police department, we need them, they need us,” said Chapman. “We need this community and let’s work as a whole in the community.”

If you didn’t get to attend an event, the Bibb County Sheriff’s office still encourages you to step out and talk to your neighbors.

Dublin also hosted a celebration at Stubbs Park Tuesday night.