| NEWS of the Day - March 19, 2012 |
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on some issues of interest to the community policing and neighborhood activist across the country
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following group of articles from local newspapers and other sources constitutes but a small percentage of the information available to the community policing and neighborhood activist public. It is by no means meant to cover every possible issue of interest, nor is it meant to convey any particular point of view ...
We present this simply as a convenience to our readership ... |
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From Google News
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Community Policing Relies On Neighbors To Call When See Crimes Not Take Matters In Own Hands
(VIdeo on site)
Greensboro, NC -- Police officers credit neighborhood watch programs for helping be extra eyes and ears for law enforcement.
Officers warn the program is not meant to replace officers. Citizens are trained to recognize and report suspicious activity without becoming involved in the incident.
That doesn't appear to be the case in Florida. A neighborhood watch captain allegedly shot and killed a 17 year-old boy last month. The neighbor first reported a suspicious man to 911 but kept following him according to the 911 call.
The neighbor told police he shot the teen in self defense. The 17 year-old was only carrying candy and a drink he bought at a nearby convenience store. The state attorney is now reviewing the case.
Police in Greensboro warn against any citizen taking matters into their own hands. Lieutenant Joel Cranford said a community watch program assists police. It does not replace them.
"We can't be at all places at all times, and so we need those extra set of eyes, those extra set of ears. We need that information coming into us so we can address those concerns and those situations and respond to those incidents in a timely manner," said Cranford.
The key factor to having a successful community watch group is that at least 75-percent of the people living in the area must participate.
One thing to get people interested is the crime statistics for your neighborhood.
Your police or sheriff's crime analysis department can do that for you and help set up the community watch.
In Greensboro, call (336) 373-2636
http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/220368/57/Neighborhood-Watch-Programs-Assist-Police-Not-Replace-Them |
