Maple Grove Awarded 1st Place For National Night Out Participation
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The northwestern Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove is boasting a first place award for National Night Out participation in 2015.
The city's police department sent out a press release Thursday, saying the department is proud the city bagged the blue ribbon for cities between 50,000 and 99,999 people.
The purpose of National Night Out is to raise local crime awareness, build stronger connections between communities and their local police departments, and to send a message to potential criminals that the community is united against them.
National Night Out takes place annually on Aug. 4.
Maple Grove police said that last year local officials visited 167 registered block parties in the city. There was also a free barbecue lunch and emergency equipment show at the Maple Grove Community Center.
The National Night Out organization ranks cities based on their organization, participation statistics and the amount of media attention their campaigns receive.
The Twin Cities metro often sees a strong turnout for National Night Out. Minneapolis has come in first place for the last three years for cities with populations over 250,000.