This year’s event will be cool, Chief Jeff Hinton and Captain Andy Jackson say.
Tuesday’s event will be held inside Becker Village Mall from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“Ellen Heaton extended her generosity to come into the mall to have this community event,” Jackson said this week.
Hinton said with the heat that shrouds August, the police department wanted to have the event, which will be celebrated nationwide, inside for the safety of the very young and elderly.
The event will be the same as past ones, Jackson said, with many information booths, including the 911 center, the District Attorney’s office, the city’s fire department and probation and parole.
The sheriff’s office and other local law enforcement agencies will be there as well as uniformed officers and detectives from the city. Five County Mental Health will have a display booth as will the county Department of Social Services.
“We’re bringing all the community agencies available to the community,” Hinton said.
The event will be an opportunity for those attending to ask questions and get help from various agencies represented, Hinton said. “Crimestoppers will be there. We would encourage the citizens to join us.”
The event is free and Jackson said the police department has recruited Northtower to be the featured entertainment. Since the mall has concessions, there will be food available, he said.
Character Antics will provide children’s entertainment including a moonwalk, obstacle course and games, Jackson said.
The police department is inviting people from across the area to attend, Jackson said. “It’s not only for people from Roanoke Rapids and the county. The invitation is extended to people from Virginia and Lake Gaston. Crime is just not our problem, it’s everybody’s problem.”
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