WEST GALVESTON ISLAND PROPERTY OWNER’S ASSOCIATION
NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME WATCH PROGRAM
September 24, 2001
September 24 Meeting with Officer Joe Giusti at the 53rd Street Substation
Present: Jerry Mohn, Boyd Carr (Isla del Sol), Carolyn Sayre (Palm Beach), Nancy Bond (Sea Isle), Gerri Empey (Sunny Beach), Melissa Martin (Sunny Beach), Lucy Rangel (Spanish Grant-Beach), Kathy Love (Bermuda Beach)
The main goal of the meeting was to develop a "Neighborhood Crime Watch" program for subdivisions. The program is very proactive where you communicate with your neighbors and where the community is on watch as a deterrent to crime. The volunteers for this program would be trained to report on non-emergency situations such as suspicious activities, maintain a log of license numbers of late night slow driving vehicles, unknown people wandering around, strange vehicles in the neighborhood, etc, etc.
There would be an overall "Coordinator" for the subdivision and each section of the subdivision would have a "Block Captain". The Block Captain would report any suspicious actions to the Coordinator, who would contact the police.
Houses should be clearly marked with identifiable numbers that are clearly visible from the street. Too many times the police lose valuable minutes in searching for the correct house number. "Neighborhood Crime Watch" signs should be placed in the entrance to the subdivision.
Literature is available from the Police Department on the program. There is a booklet for the Block Captain and a special Citizen’s Handbook for each resident in how to deter, protect, and prevent crime in the community. If any subdivision, townhome, or condominium that was not able to attend the meeting and would like to develop a "Neighborhood Crime Watch" program, we will obtain the booklets for you.
We encourage all members to participate in the worthwhile program.
Please advise and call if you have any questions. Thank you.