Local Police Departments Gear Up For National Night Out

LA VERGNE, TN — National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign across the country that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. The police departments in Smyrna, La Vergne and Murfreesboro will host special events next week as part of the campaign, and deputies from the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office will participate in all three events.

The La Vergne Police Department (LPD) is inviting citizens to come out on Tuesday, Aug. 1, and enjoy an evening of fellowship. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Patch morning newsletter.)

This free event will take place at 5 p.m. at the front of Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive. There will be family-friendly activities and learning opportunities.

Parents can socialize while the kids enjoy an inflatable slide and meet the Crash Test Dummies. The deputies and horses of the Rutherford County Mounted Patrol will be present, and K-9 officers with their police dogs will be available for pictures and belly rubs!

Representatives from other city organizations like LPD SWAT, Life Flight, Box 100 and Rutherford County EMS will be in attendance. Food and cold drinks will be available.

In addition, Sheriff’s Office deputies will allow people to test the Tennessee Highway Safety Office’s Seat Belt Convincer , which demonstrates the impact of not wearing a seat belt while you're traveling at 5 to 10 mph.

The Smyrna Police Department will host an open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Smyrna Justice Center, 400 Enon Springs Road East. Volunteers with the sheriff’s Senior Citizens Awareness Network will talk about the SCAN program for senior citizens.

Also, deputies will display the sheriff’s “Chooser Cruiser” to remind drivers of the cost of drinking and driving. And deputies from the sheriff’s Mounted Patrol will show the horses.

Sheriff's deputies will hand out items at the National Night Out event in Murfreesboro's downtown square from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, sponsored by the Murfreesboro Police Department. Deputies will have information about Neighborhood Watch, child passenger safety seats and other topics.

The police department will also host National Night Out events from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at three other locations in Murfreesboro: Patterson Park, SportsCom and Spring Valley. Each site will have free food and drinks while supplies last.

For more information about National Night Out, please click here.