Suffolk police often ask for the public’s help locating suspected criminals, but this time they’re looking for something else.

The Suffolk Police Department is taking a look back at its history and is looking for community support gathering historical information about the department.

Administrative analyst Joel Howard said the department is looking to put together a yearbook, which will be made available to members of the department.

“I’ve had people that work here bring me photos,” he said. “We just want to try to put some stuff in a file to have for later. If we capture this stuff now, even though it may not be so old, someday it will be history.”

The department seeks old pictures, newspaper articles, correspondence or police equipment that locals may have.

“The really neat stuff is correspondence, like when somebody got a letter from the chief of police back in the ’40s,” Howard said. “That’s pretty exciting stuff.”

Old police equipment, especially, can help officers realize how far law enforcement has come, Howard said. He recalled using a rotary telephone and having no computers when he started his career in the 1970s.

To get your information and items to the Suffolk Police Department, you can email digital files to jhoward@suffolkva.us, set up an appointment with Howard by calling 514-7905 or send a letter to Suffolk Police Historic Quest, P.O. Box 1678, Suffolk, VA 23439 Attn: Joel Howard. If you want the items returned, include a self-addressed envelope.

Submitters also should include background information — including names, dates and places — for the items sent.