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Below are the winners (along with their “What is your one favorite thing about New York City?” entry) for the Securing The City: Inside America’s Best Counterterrorism Force – The NYPD (Simon & Schuster) book contest. Each will each receive a free copy of the book.

Andrew A. Altizer/Atlanta, GA — “Late Night with David Letterman”

Stephen Carter/Manuka, Australia – “My one favourite thing is the New York City is so much larger than life — it has to be seen to be believed!”

Dov Horwitz/New York, NY – “My one favorite thing about NYC (and I am not a born and raised NYer) is that every few blocks anywhere in the city is like a whole new world. In any borough, each neighborhood is so diverse from the different cultures that make up the neighborhood to the actual feel of the area. I personally think that is what makes NYC what it is.”

Philip Barton/Norwich, VT – “I like walking through Central Park with a good sandwich after a morning spent at the Museum of Natural History with my wife and small kids.”

Laurie Vendetti/New York, NY – “The People. The residents and public sector professionals of this fine City are the most loving, intelligent, helpful and compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. These New Yorkers (NYPD, FBI, FDNY, CERT, InfraGard, Private Sector Security Professionals, etc) and the ‘perfect strangers’ to me, have taught me more about life in the past 5 years than I had learned in my lifetime. I am blessed to live here in New York City.”

Will Sanchez/New York, NY – “You can walk the town, indeed as the ‘great saunter’ event proves: one can walk the rim of Manhattan – 32 miles.”

Matt Rosenberg/Valley Village, CA – “My favorite thing is the FDNY”

Kwok-Ming Cheng/New York, NY – “I love Central Park”

Sherwood Martinelli/Peekskill, NY – “Being married to a Native New Yorker from the Upper West Side, have to go with my beautiful wife. (Piece of interesting New York history…on the East River side of the UN Building is a large metal sculpture that was dedicated in I believe 1961…that is my wife’s father’s sculpture.)”

Michele Espinoza/New York, NY – “You’re kidding me, right? You want to limit us to Just ONE Favorite thing about NYC???? That’s like asking us to choose what we like most about our children. We have 5 boroughs, teeming with a populace that makes each neighborhood unique; How on EARTH can I pick just one. I love this city so much I have 2 blogs that focuses solely on NYC. Sigh! Okay, Okay, if I were to pick just one thing… ONE THING… it would be the vibe or energy of this incredible city. Unfortunately it was only after 9-11 that the entire world had an opportunity to see who we really are – a city of optimists in the face of challenges, of independent thinkers and creators that contribute not only their life blood to this city as they contribute to their own families and communities, but of individuals who embrace the global melting pot that they live in with patience and tolerance. Its a unique social experiment that keeps evolving despite the risks and challenges security poses to those charged with guarding it and us! That’s what I love most about my city!”