Numerous groups got together in St. Bernard Parish for the Night Out Against Crime to show support for one another

A Night Out Against Crime event at the home of Rosemary Gioe. seated at the top center of the table, in Chalmette. Detective deputies Lt. Richard Mendel and Ryan Melerine. shown in back, were assigned to the event.	Sheriff James Poh;mann calls up the children and young teen-agers as he talks to church members at the First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette.
Kevin Gabriel at a Night Out Against Crime event he hosts on Daniel Drive in Violet.	From left, Dep. Sheriff Brad Nuccio, Al Beaubouef, Carol Beaubouef and Dep, Sheriff Bryan Fleetwood Jr. at the Beaubouefs’ Night Out event in Meraux.

Heath Ragas Jr., 3, holds a Junior Deputy badge he just received at a Night Out event.

Kassidy Davis, 6, at left, Anna Cazeaux and baby Adalyn Cazeaux, 18 months, outside the bounce center set up for kids at the First Pentecostal Church in Chalmette for the National Night Out Against Crime event on Oct. 14.

For five years, the First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette has put out a bounce center for kids on their church grounds and thrown a party for members to get together and celebrate on the National Night Out Against Crime.

Pastor Otto Martin said the goal is to get people together to support one another.

“We support the National Night Out Against Crime. It’s a good way to meet people,’’ said Martin.

“It familiarizes people with their neighbors that they may not see’’ otherwise and lets people know they have something in common.

Throughout Arabi, Chalmette Meraux and Violet, St. Bernard residents got together to talk and remember the annual Night Out Against Crime, which started more than 30 years ago.

At the Pentecostal Church on Palmisano at East St. Bernard Highway, Sheriff James Pohlmann asked children and young teen-agers to gather in front of him and told church members that residents owed it to young people to give them a safe place to live and grow up.

“These (young people) are the reason that our deputies fight so hard to keep this parish safe’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. The sheriff also asked the group to “pray for our parish, its children and us.’’

The sheriff attended a number of the get-togethers held by residents.

If people called to register an event, sheriff’s deputies were assigned to give crime prevention tips and answer questions of residents.

In Violet, Kevin Gabriel, a minister and head of the St. Bernard chapter of the NAACP, continued his tradition of hosting a party with relatives in their old neighborhood to celebrate National Night Out Against Crime, saying they think it important to talk and show unity in a battle against crime.

“You have to try to make a difference,’’ said Gabriel as he helped host an outdoor party on Daniel Drive in Violet on Tuesday night, Oct. 14. “People look forward to this every year.’’

“By coming out and talking to neighbors you share things and find out what people need,’’ Gabriel said. “You have to turn negatives into positives. I think things are getting better.’’

Carol and Al Beaubouef have been holding a National Night Out Against Crime party at their home in Lexington Place subdivision in Meraux for many years now.

The local homeowners’ association asked them to begin hosting a party and they have been doing it since, Al Beaubouef said.

His wife said, “We enjoy seeing people get together’’ and she added.”I believe in the idea of watching out for the neighborhood’’ and it helps that when neighbors get together, Carol Beaubouef said.

Sheriff Pohlmann has said he supports National Night Out Against Crime as a way for people with something in common – the desire to protect their neighborhood against crime – to get together and pledge to look out for another’s property.

Capt. Charles Borchers, director of Community Relations for the Sheriff’s Office and head of the Neighborhood Watch program, said the parish continues to see residents having parties for the Night Out Against Crime.

“We at the Sheriff’s Office want to work hand-in-hand with the people,’’ Borchers said. “We think participation by the public in such things as National Night Out Against Crime, Neighborhood Watch and the free Citizens Police Academy offered by the Sheriff’s Office is a show of their support to work with us.’’

“Don’t hesitate to call us if you see something in your neighborhood that doesn’t look right to you,’’ Borchers told a group, adding only residents will notice something that doesn’t belong, such as a strange vehicle in someone’s driveway when they are gone that day.

Call the S.O. at (504) 271-2501 and you could be helping prevent crime such as a burglary or theft, Borchers said.

Borchers and Dep. Eric Eilers also told people the next free session of the popular lecture program called “Refuse to be a Victim’’ is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.

In November, residents can call Borchers at 278-7628 to register for the program, which offers advice on the best locks, timers and other crime prevention tips for homes and businesses.

National Night Out Against Crime is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and was introduced in 1984 to strengthen participation in local anti-crime efforts.

The National Night Out campaign involves more than 30 million, including residents, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses and at military bases.