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More than 32 Suffolk Police Department officers and civilian staff participated in a spring community cleanup on Wednesday morning.

Beginning at 8:45 a.m., the volunteers took to the streets in the area of Wilson Street and Wellons Street armed with litter picker-uppers, bags, gloves, and more provided by Wayne Jones, litter control coordinator with Suffolk Public Works.

The selected area for their efforts was intentional, as this was the same area that a 12-year old boy was shot at approximately 7:22 p.m. on March 1.

Commenting while participating in the cleanup, Interim Chief Alfred Chandler stated, “We’re being deliberate about our efforts to work with the community and cleaning up our city in every imaginable way. We are intent on establishing and re-establishing relationships and showing the community that we truly care. Criminals are attracted to neighborhoods that appear dirty or neglected. We all have to do more to show that criminal activity won’t be tolerated, and in turn, to keep our children safe.”

The police department hopes to continue these cleanup efforts moving forward and challenges citizens to join them in taking ownership of their neighborhoods so that others with criminal intent on their minds don’t.

The investigation into the shooting of the 12-year old male remains ongoing, and he has since been released from the hospital. Anyone with information is asked to contact Suffolk Police or Suffolk Crime Line. To submit online, go to www.p3tips.com, visit the Suffolk Police Department website (www.suffolkva.us/spd) and look for the Suffolk Crime Line link, or go to the Suffolk Police Department Facebook page at www.facebook.com/suffolkpolicedepartment. You can are also call 888-LOCK-U-UP, 1-888-562-5887, Option 5. Once a person submits a tip, they will be given a TIP ID and password. With this information they can login at p3tips.com and submit follow-up information, engage in two-way dialogue, be informed of the outcome of the tip, and access any pertinent reward information.

For more information about how your community can get involved in coordinating a cleanup event, please visit the Litter Control webpage on the city website, www.suffolkva.us/316/Litter-Control, or call 757-514-7604.