National Night Out

The annual National Night Out event was held Tuesday evening at the Farmers Market in downtown Rocky Mount. The purpose of the event is to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for anti-crime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals to let them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Officers from the Rocky Mount Police Dept., Franklin County Sheriff’s Dept., and Virginia State Police as well as other public safety organizations were on hand to answer questions and promote the many crime prevention programs to those in attendance.

Three county residents were presented awards in recognition for the role they played in helping the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department with information that lead to the arrest several suspects in connection with multiple break-ins and theft. Those receiving awards were Patty Vaught, Sherry Foley, and Tim Dye. The information that each award recipient contributed made it possible for officers to apprehend and arrest suspects not only for the crime at the time the information was given, but also made it possible upon further investigation to connect those suspects to numerous other crimes committed in the county.