The Brown County National Night Out event received an award from the National Association of Town Watch for its “outstanding participation in the 32nd Annual National Night Out,” which was presented Tuesday during the Brownwood City Council meeting.
The Brownwood Police Department submitted documentation of the 2015 National Night Out (NNO), which was held in October, to be considered for an award in the population category (15,000 to 50,000) according to BPD Chief Mike Corley. There were 259 agencies which submitted NNO award applications. Brown County ranked #13 out of these 259 submissions and 13th out of 45 agencies selected as nationwide award winners. The Brown County event also received the #2 ranking from the State of Texas.
There were 38.8 million people in 16,728 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide participating in the event, according to National Project Coordinator Matt A Peskin.
“This was our sixth year to receive an award” stated Corley. “Every year we have went up in our ranking.”
To date the Brown County NNO event has received awards each year of participation as follows (all of which are for Category 4 at NATW):
2010 Rookie of the Year
2011 #42
2012 #27
2013 #22
2014 #14
2015 #13
Chief Corley explained, “This was a combined effort between Brownwood PD, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Early PD, Bangs PD, Brown County Lake Patrol, and of course the community of Brown County.
Corley gave a special thanks to the partnership the Brownwood Police Department has with the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce. Brownwood Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ray Tipton thanked the many sponsors of the event who helped to make it possible.
The police department and the chamber of commerce cooperate to organize the National Night Out event each year. Corley was thankful for this relationship. Mayor Stephen Haynes thanked both for their efforts in planning and organizing NNO to be such a successful event.
“I don’t know of any other community that has a relationship between their police department and their chamber of commerce like we do, especially with the National Night Out,” said Corley. “We have a really special relationship in this community that is very special, and something to be proud of.”
Brownwood Fire Department, Allegiance EMS and Heart of Texas EMS were thanked for their help and support. Corporate sponsors, Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers, Weldon Wilson Electric, ATMOS Energy, Oncor, Wal-Mart #813, 3M Company, Allegiance Ambulance, TexasBank, and Heartland Mall were also recognized.
Pictured above are (left to right) Chief Corley and Ray Tipton with some of the sponsors of the 2015 Brown County National Night Out: Shelley Burnett, Atomos; Jimmy Trowbridge, Allegiance (back center), Donna Wilhelm, Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers; Ken Harriss, Oncor; Tim Espinoza, TexasBank.
