The Valdosta State University Police Department will present National Night Out from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, on the Front Lawn. Admission, all activities, and concessions are free of charge, while supplies last.   

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to prevent crime. It is all about making the university, Valdosta, and Lowndes County a safer, more caring place for everyone. 

“National Night Out is just one of the many ways VSU Police and other first responders in our area work to build relationships and trust with the communities we serve,” shared Sergeant Kevin Cox, who oversees community outreach and professional standards for the VSU Police Department. “We want to get to know the people who call Valdosta and Lowndes County home. We want to hear about any issues they may be facing in their neighborhoods and collaborate with them to address those issues and maintain public safety. We also want to hear about the good things happening in their lives and how we can work together to support more of that.”  

During National Night Out, area residents will get an up-close look at an air medical services helicopter, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime scene truck, a seatbelt convincer, fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, and more.  

Attendees will have an opportunity to meet first responders from the VSU Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Department of Public Safety (Georgia State Patrol and Motor Carrier Compliance Division), Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Florida Highway Patrol, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Community Supervision, The Haven, South Georgia Medical Center Emergency Medical Services, Lowndes County Fire Rescue, Lanier County Sheriff’s Office, and more.   

National Night Out will feature music, activities, giveaways, demonstrations, and free concessions, while supplies last, thanks to donations from Blazer Dining, Kona Ice, Johnson Distributing Co., and Coca-Cola and volunteers from VSU Student Affairs.  

National Night Out was first introduced in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit organization designed to provide community watch groups with the necessary resources and assets to stay informed, interested, involved, and motivated. It is celebrated across the United States and its territories, in Canada, and on military bases around the world.  

The VSU Police Department is committed to preserving a safe and secure campus environment through a combination of reactive, proactive, and educational law enforcement services.