Town hall meeting set for Aug. 19

NEWMAN – Police are hoping to help community members help themselves in the fight against crime.

Authorities are organizing a kickoff meeting for Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the L.J. Newman Memorial Building to form Neighborhood Watch groups throughout the community.

At its core, the idea behind Neighborhood Watch is simply that – neighbor looking out for neighbor, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity, people who don’t belong in the neighborhood or other signs of potential trouble.

As simple as the premise is, Police Chief Adam McGill said, well-implemented Neighborhood Watch programs are proven to curb crime and help cultivate strong, thriving neighborhoods.

The upcoming meeting will offer the opportunity for dialog between the police department and community.

“We want to share with the community a broad overview of what we envision from a Neighborhood Watch program, and then hear what they envision,” McGill said. “It might not be one and the same. We tend to focus on the worst of the worst, the drugs and the gangs. When we go into neighborhoods, we tend to hear about other issues, such as the speeding.”

The town hall meeting will include crime prevention information, an overview of Neighborhood Watch and how it works, and a presentation from organizers of a successful, community-based crime prevention program.

McGill promised that a wealth of information will be offered during the evening. And when it comes to crime prevention, he said, knowledge is power.

“You put the information into people’s hands, and the possibilities are endless,” he remarked.

Neighborhood Watch organizers will take sign-ups of people who want to be involved, and will schedule followup meetings at the neighborhood level to begin discussing specifics.

“Your concerns on S Street might not be the same as those on Duck Blind Circle,” McGill pointed out. “They could be two entirely different situations.”

He cautioned that establishing Neighborhood Watch programs throughout the community will not happen overnight.

But, McGill stressed, the programs are an effective tool against crime and offer residents the opportunity to become actively involved in keeping their neighborhoods safe.

“There is no question that Neighborhood Watch can be an effective tool. Doing something is better than doing nothing,” McGill commented. “We can take the initiative. I think the department is demonstrating that it is going to be pro-active in addressing issues, and now it is time for other people to join our team. Crime is best addressed at the neighborhood level.”

Refreshments will be served at the meeting, courtesy of the Newman Women’s League and Newman-Crows Landing Fire Auxiliary.

All interested community members are invited to attend.