JAY – More than 25 residents turned out May 20 for the first meeting of the Jay Hill Neighborhood Watch group.
The group, consisting of residents of the Jay Hill area, is intended to provide members with training and information on crime prevention, reporting, and personal safety, and increase cooperation between the local police department and the public.
According to Jay police officer Michael Pike, who helped organize the meeting, “A neighborhood watch is not a vigilante group. Its goal is to provide the Police Department with several extra pairs of eyes and ears and report suspicious activities taking place in a certain area.
Members will be on the lookout and reporting unusual persons, vehicles and crimes in progress to us so we can respond and, if needed, take enforcement action.”
Members laid out their goals for the organization, the first being to install “Neighborhood Watch” signs in the area.
“The group came about at the request of a resident,” Pike said. “Neighborhood Watch is very much a partnership between the Police Department and the community in which it serves. Jay PD has always prided itself on being community-oriented, now under the leadership of Chief Larry White, we are stepping it up a notch.”
Jay Hill marks the second neighborhood watch group that is currently active in town. Members of the Lavoie Street Housing Complex established a similar program last year and have been meeting monthly.
Pike said he hopes to continue that trend with the Jay Hill group. “We plan on meeting monthly”, Pike said.
Meetings will be held the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Community Center. The next meeting is scheduled for June 17. All interested residents are encouraged to attend.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
