A year after the Trayvon Martin murder, it seems few people in the city of Athens want anything to do with a neighborhood watch.
Though city officials have promoted a potential citywide neighborhood watch in the hopes of reducing crime, as little as 20 people have contacted the city office to volunteer for such a program.
An effective neighborhood watch in Athens would need at least 20 percent participation citywide, said Athens Police Department Chief Tom Pyle, adding that the stigma of the Trayvon Martin shooting has scared people away from involvement.
Despite the lack of interest, Pyle said that recent crime makes a neighborhood watch a worthwhile investment for Athens residents.
“We had a rash of thefts and sexual assaults in the last 18 months that got me thinking that we really need to develop a willingness on the part of the community,” Pyle said.
APD would take a hands-off approach toward the program, leaving most decision-making up to each neighborhood association, said Mayor Paul Wiehl.
“I assume a neighborhood watch is grassroots oriented and grassroots structured,” Wiehl said. “Therefore, it would be up to the citizens to say what they want in a neighborhood watch.”
Though neighborhood watches would be self-governing, citizens would be expected to regularly communicate with law enforcement officials, Pyle said.
“With this day, in terms of technology; it’s just about people interacting more openly with the police department in an effort to reduce crime,” Pyle said. “Crime prevention is truly a community issue, not just a law-enforcement issue.”
Both Bowling Green and Kent have neighborhood watches that work in conjunction with local police.
Neighborhood watches in Bowling Green are more or less effective, depending on local interest, said Bowling Green Police Department Lt. Dan Mancuso.
“Our neighborhood watch is something that the police department assists, but it is run entirely by the neighborhoods.”
They meet on a regular basis to discuss problems faced in their part of the city.
Though about 72 percent of the city consists of rental properties, Wiehl said he would expect involvement from all residents of a neighborhood — even in student housing areas.
“I would fully expect that everyone on the block be involved, regardless of who they are,” Wiehl said. “They don’t have to have total buy-in but should at least know their neighbors or know what to do when something goes wrong.”
sh335311@ohiou.edu
