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16 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2020 Neighbors helping neighbors. It's a simple adage and one that holds immeasurable power when it comes to keeping communities safe. Over the years, Neighborhood Watch groups have grown in number, having a positive impact on the reduction of crime in communities throughout the country. According to the National Neighborhood Watch Program, burglaries nationwide decreased more than 30 percent throughout the 1990s, thanks to communities taking a more active role in stopping crime before it starts. No matter how many police patrols go through a community each day, no one knows their own neighborhood better than the people who live there. According to the National Sheriffs' Association, Neighborhood Watch programs work because they make life difficult for potential criminals in a number of ways. Depending on the scope of the program, Neighborhood Watch associations can do everything from encouraging homeowners to get security inspections and upgrade locks, security hardware, and lighting to organizing phone trees for quick neighborhood alerts. Neighborhood Watch groups also ward off potential criminal activity by keeping the neighborhood well- marked with Neighborhood Watch signs and stickers on homes— the kinds of things that makes thieves think twice. There is also power in numbers. A Neighborhood Watch group not only keeps criminals at bay, they also can work to make neighborhoods safe. According to the National Sheriffs' Association, signs of possible criminal activity include open or broken doors and windows at closed businesses or unoccupied residences; unusual noises such as glass breaking or dogs barking continuously; and any individuals in the area exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms. If you know someone's away and a U-Haul pulls up to their front door, don't just question that in your mind, call the police. For members of a Neighborhood Watch team, it's imperative to always make picking up the phone their first action. Don't ever try to be a hero and stop a break-in or a robbery. It's just too dangerous. The Beaumont Police Number is (951) 769-8500. The most important way to help local law enforcement is to try to remember as many details as possible either about the individual or the situation just witnessed. Write down what happened, when and where it happened and as many details as you can remember. When it comes to vehicles, try to remember license plate numbers— even portions of them can help — and as many details about the make and model of the car as possible as well as the direction of its travel. In terms of people, think of height, weight, sex, hair color, race, clothing, and other distinguishing details. The more details people can remember, the better the chance that local law enforcement will be able to find and prosecute the suspect. Safety, like so many other things, is in the details. Remember, "If you see something, say something!" ~ Kathy Craven kathycraven@rocketmail.com Neighborhood Watch

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