By BRIANA HARRIS / Staff Writer

PELHAM – The Pelham community is invited to attend the Pelham Police Department’s second National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 6-8 p.m.

The event will be held at Publix in the parking lot. Publix is located at 365 Huntley Parkway. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

The goal is to make neighborhoods safer by heightening crime and drug prevention awareness, generating support for and participation in anticrime efforts, strengthening police-community partnerships and sending a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

In addition to the PPD, Capt. Pat Cheatwood said the Pelham Fire Department, Alabama State Troopers, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and federal agencies will be at the event.

“These are agencies that we partner with on a daily basis, so we want the community to get to know them as well,” Cheatwood said.

The State Troopers will have their helicopter there and residents will get to watch as it takes off. The PPD Police Explorers will be there engaging young people interested in a career in law enforcement and providing free finger prints for children.

“The finger print cards are for identification purposes,” Cheatwood said. “Should a child go missing or runaway, we can identify them using their fingerprint. It’s a bad thought, but if anything ever happens it’s good for parents to have.”

Several law enforcement vehicles will be on display and there will be free food and drinks, prize giveaways for kids and food trucks.

“This event is a way for us to get to know the community,” Cheatwood said. “Residents can talk to the officers patrolling their neighborhoods, schools and businesses. We got a lot of positive feedback last year and that was the first time we ever hosted it, so we’re hoping that this year will be even better.”