If anyone has been keeping up, the city of Suffolk is in the top echelon when it comes to doing National Night Out right. Suffolk’s National Night Out program Aug. 5 bested those of nearly 300 other cities nationwide for a first-place award from the organization that sponsors the program.

The annual event is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police–community partnerships, and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

This was Suffolk’s eighth year participating in National Night Out, which included 35.4 million participants in more than 10,000 communities across the country.

After the August event, participating cities submitted both written and video documentation of their National Night Out events. Suffolk’s submission was selected from 294 entries in its category, which includes cities with populations of 50,000 to 99,999.

This year, Suffolk had its largest National Night Out ever, with more than 5,000 people in 40 communities and businesses participating in National Night Out events and pre-events.

Debbie George, director of media and community relations and the chair of Suffolk’s National Night Out committee, credits citizen and business involvement for the high finish.

Pat yourself on the back, Suffolk. You did a great job and received the proper recognition. This is just another example of seeing what our city can do when it pulls itself together.