We were excited to hear that Neighborhood Watch meetings were coming back. Of course, because of covid, they have been on hold for the past two years, as has most everything else that requires people to gather together and talk.
But for a town that has its problems with crime, this could be the, or at least a, missing link. We all turn to the police when there is crime, but there are just so many officers out there, and even if Pine Bluff had a fully staffed police department, there wouldn’t be enough to significantly slow crime down.
The idea that neighbors get together and talk about crime is not a novel one. People do it naturally every time they say “Did you hear. …?” But seeing one’s neighbor up close and hearing their experiences and trading your own input, well, it’s invaluable.
We remember a couple that had just come to town and were broken into – while they slept. Immediately after that happened, a Neighborhood Watch meeting was called, and the collected antenna were raised as everyone said they would do better to keep things locked up and away from prying eyes as well as keep a closer eye out for suspicious activity in the area.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The next step is to bring the police in on this, and that’s where the public’s help can really assist officers pinpoint problem areas.
“This program keeps the residents involved in their communities while also bridging the gap between residents and law enforcement,” said Police Chief Lloyd Franklin Sr.
The gussied up meetings will provide residents with stats about their neighborhoods and also will involve elected officials who will both listen to the concerns and let the residents know what’s going on at City Hall in the way of creating a more secure city.
It’s hard to read about Neighborhood Watch efforts and not think about the listening sessions that went on in the not-to-distant past. We recall the surveys taken and how much we all learned about the effect crime has on the everyday citizen, how some residents are scared to go out and how some are scared even in their own homes.
These Neighborhood Watch sessions will be a good opportunity for the police and elected officials to hear these stories in person. Residents may know exactly what’s going on down the street, but if the police don’t know, they aren’t going to spend time working on that particular problem. This will be a good way to draw attention to the hot spots around town and do something about them now before they get worse.