The City of Monroe is among 27 North Carolina jurisdictions to earn recognition in the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) 2025 Excellence in Communications Awards.
Monroe won First Place in the category Best Use of Humor for the Monroe Police Department’s creative holiday public safety video, “The Grinch Who Got Busted: A Holiday Crime Prevention PSA.”
View the winning video on Facebook
The awards were announced on April 10, 2025, during NC3C’s annual conference in Asheville. A total of 179 entries from 47 local government organizations across the state were judged by professional peers from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.
“This year, we saw not only the highest number of award submissions we've ever received, but also a record number of municipalities participating,” said NC3C President Kaisha Brown. “As the competition grows each year, the level of skill and expertise needed to win these awards continues to rise. Every person who entered should be proud of their work. On behalf of the NC3C Board, we send our congratulations to all of the winners.”
Monroe’s winning entry, created by the Monroe Police Department, uses a fun and festive approach to deliver an important message. The video features a mischievous “Grinch” character sneaking through parking lots and attempting to steal items from unattended vehicles, only to be swiftly caught by a Monroe Police K9 officer. The lighthearted PSA aimed to raise awareness about the spike in car break-ins during the holiday season, especially as shoppers become more distracted and vehicles are left unattended.
The City received high marks from the judges for creativity, humor, and impact, noting that the video delivered its message effectively while also capturing viewers’ attention and generating strong community engagement.
“This award is a reflection of the innovative and collaborative spirit that exists across our City,” said City Manager Mark Watson. “It’s encouraging to see our team use humor and creativity to reach the public with meaningful safety messages, especially during the busy holiday season when reminders like this are so important.”
This marks the City of Monroe’s second Excellence in Communications Award in three years, highlighting a continued commitment to creative and effective public engagement.
About NC3C
The purpose of North Carolina City & County Communicators is to encourage professional development and networking among local governmental communications professionals. The organization was formed in March 2007 and consists of professional government communicators from around the state. For more information about NC3C, visit www.nc3c.com.