NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It’s Interim NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick’s first Night Out Against Crime in New Orleans.

“Night Out is truly about cultivating relationships between the community and police. It is also an opportunity for the community to reestablish relationships with your neighbors. You need each other and we need you,” Kirkpatrick said.

While this was the city’s main Night Out event at the Milne Recreation Center, there were nearly 100 other parties across the city, all raising crime prevention awareness and looking to increase emergency service support across the community in fun ways.

“I was telling someone, it kind of reminds me of Endymion. This weather and how everyone is getting along but also, it’s a safe place. Look at all these kids out here. Parents don’t have to worry about their kids or anything crazy going on. It’s safe, so we get to be a part of keeping our community safe. That means so much for the men and women in this department,” Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said.

For some families, like the Davis’s, this event was all about introducing their children to local law enforcement and teaching them not to fear them.

“I think it’s a big deal. Just to get involved in everything. Show the kids that they shouldn’t be afraid of the police officers and that they’re here to help and stuff like that,” participant Yaj Daivs said.

Many participants say they find events like these to be crucial in making New Orleans a safer place.

“We can be a crime-free city. We can also be a city with greatly reduced crime, but we need to work together as we’re seeing here today,” Councilman Eugene Greene said.

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