National Night Out expected to attract 12,500 in Topeka, Shawnee County

Topeka and Shawnee County had the nation’s sixth-highest participation in last year’s National Night Out, and this year’s crime prevention event is poised to attract more people, county commissioners learned Thursday.

Eighty-seven neighborhoods and more than 10,500 people participated last year while 83 neighborhoods and 12,500 people are expected to take part this year, Commissioners Bob Archer, Bill Riphahn and Kevin Cook heard from Judy Wilson, Neighborhood Watch coordinator for the Safe Streets anti-crime organization.

Wilson spoke at the commission’s morning meeting about National Night Out, an event Safe Streets oversees locally in which neighborhoods across Topeka and Shawnee County hold block parties targeted at bringing people together. This year’s event will be Aug. 10.