Time to Schedule Your Block Party for Shreveport and Bossier City Night Out

Shreveport and Bossier City are getting geared up for Night Out neighborhood block parties. The events are in conjunction with National Night Out, which is held in early August. But several years ago, both cities agreed that holding ours in early October would be best, since August is so brutally hot. So Tuesday, October 1st, is the date.

Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw calls this event a "golden opportunity" for officers to interact with the community. "All of our officers love this particular deal, because we get free stuff, free food, and an opportunity really to meet and greet, and let the people know that we're more so involved with the community than they think," Chief Shaw says. "We're a PART of the community, as opposed to apart FROM."

And Bossier City Police Chief Shane McWilliams also agrees this is a great opportunity for officers to open up the line of communication between them and residents. "The majority of the crimes that we work, without witnesses and public input, our solvability rate would go down a great deal," Chief McWilliams says. "This gives us an opportunity to interact with residents in a more positive way."

If you want to schedule a block party in your neighborhood, there's something you need to do first. "Contact the Community Service Department," says Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker. "They do have to have a petition of 51-percent of the people who live on those blocks that are going to be closed off, to make sure they want to do that." He also says to visit your respective city's website -- or stop by the police department -- to fill out an application, so the cities know to block off your street for the party.

For more information on Bossier City's events, click HERE.

For information on Shreveport's, click HERE.