Suffolk’s annual block party celebrating and encouraging the fight against crime in the city takes place this evening in neighborhoods and at businesses and community organizations throughout the city.

In this summer of discontent and unrest, there is no better time for good people who care about the place where they live to come together and explore ways to work in concert to make Suffolk a better place.

National Night Out in Suffolk has grown from a few small gatherings to dozens of events all over the city. Sponsored nationally by the National Association of Town Watch, the event encourages citizens to lock their doors and get outside to get to know their neighbors and law enforcement officers that patrol their area.

This year’s theme is an extension of the familiar “Take a bite out of crime” catchphrase. “Working Together to Take a Bite Out of Grime” suggests the “broken window theory,” which posits that allowing little things like broken windows to go unaddressed encourages bigger problems in the end.

Suffolk officials will be encouraging participation in Adopt-a-Spot and Adopt-a-Street litter cleanup and prevention programs during today’s events, and they’ll be taking part in many of the other fun activities planned across the city.

There will be block parties, cookouts, games and entertainment at a variety of venues that you can find listed in the National Night Out story that appears on Page 1 of today’s paper. And, as always with this event, there will opportunities for residents and police officers to get to know one another, a facet of the event that is even more important this year than, perhaps, ever before.

Co-sponsored locally by the Suffolk Police Department, this annual event involves over 38 million people in over 16,000 communities. But the most important community that will be involved is yours.

Join your neighbors, meet some new friends and get to know the men and women charged with protecting and serving this fine city. Find a National Night Out celebration to attend today, and have a great night out.