FREDERICKTOWN – Neighborhood Watch meetings are coming back to Fredericktown.
They were halted last year by COVID-19, but Police Chief Kyle Johnson said the meetings were an important communication tool between the police and citizens.
“We wanted to give the citizens information on crime trends we are seeing in the community,” he said. “At the same time, it gave them an opportunity to let us know what they are seeing in their neighborhoods.”
A kickoff meeting is planned for July, the department said on Facebook.
Johnson noted that the program was going strong before COVID-19 hit.
“We couldn’t gather anymore so it kind of put the brakes on things,” he said.
When the program was launched a few years ago, the police department stressed that it was not to be a citizens’ vigilante group.
“The last thing we want is a citizen taking any kind of action at all,” Johnson said. “We just want you to be that extra set of eyes and ears in the community for us. That’s what we’re looking for.”
The department also educates citizens on how to be a good witness.
“That’s really going to help us when we investigate whatever it is that you’ve observed,” Johnson said. “We teach you certain things to look for, certain things to report to us.”
The chief said Neighborhood Watch participants have learned to identity things that could be related to drug activity.
“They are taught to let us know if they see residences where there are cars coming and going at all hours, staying for short periods of time,” he said. “They’ve been able to — from a safe distance — gather license plate numbers for us. It really helps us with drug investigations.“
Before COVID-19 hit, there were approximately 20 citizens each month who attended the monthly Neighborhood Watch meetings.
“At one meeting we had upwards of 60 people,” Johnson said.
The chief stated Fredericktown does not see a lot of crime, and much of the crime it does experience is related to drug activity.
“Drug addicts have to feed their habit,” he said. “Sometimes that leads to theft.”
Violent crime is rare.
“I can’t remember the last time Fredericktown experienced a homicide, and I hope we don’t have any anytime soon,” he said.
Neighborhood Watch is an important part of keeping crime low.
“We’re not overrun with crime; but every community, regardless of size, has some crime,” Johnson said. “That’s why it’s important for programs like Neighborhood Watch to be in place in every community.”
