LAWRENCE — To get your own neighborhood watch together; contact Kim Fannin, Crime Watch Coordinator for LPD (549-9580). Set up a meeting and invite everyone who lives around you. Try going door to door to either tell people personally or create a small flier that announces the time, location and intent of this meeting. On the night you do meet, explain to everyone the benefits of working together to watch over each other’s property, and allow a police officer to speak to the group. The officer will be able to offer great tips and training that will help you protect your neighborhood more efficiently. It’s a good idea to have someone who can speak English and Spanish present so they can translate to residents who are not bilingual.
One final thing that is important to remember – although people who are part of a local watch group can help prevent crime, they are not trained to stop a criminal. Stress to the members of your watch group that they are not taking on the job of a Law Enforcement Officer; they are working with the rest of your neighbors to keep an eye on each other. Your group should work together to help deter crime, warn others of potential danger, but never put themselves at risk by trying to stop a crime on their own. If any criminal activity is spotted, the best thing to do is call either 911 or 545-7575 immediately!