Minneapolis Ranks 1st For National Night Out

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For yet another year, Minneapolis ranked first in the nation among cities with populations exceeding 300,000 for participation in the National Night Out program.

This is the tenth time Minneapolis has ranked first since 1989. The National Association of Town Watch bestowed the designation on Minneapolis this year.

According to Minneapolis Police, about 60,500 residents in Minneapolis participated in one of the city's 1,173 National Night Out events.

National Night Out is observed on the second Tuesday of every August, with block parties and other neighborhood events.

The intention of National Night Out is to get neighbors to interact and get to know each other better, so that they will also be more aware if crime is happening in their neighborhood.

"It's a simple idea, but true and powerful," said Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan. "Neighbors getting to know each other and building the bonds of community, help make your block and neighborhood safer."

Last year, an estimated 37 million people participated nationwide.