Increasing Community Policing One Neighborhood At A Time

It's been one week since people throughout Savannah joined together for National Night Out events...but does the message those events send really sink in - or is it forgotten in the light of day? And what about those communities that didn't host events...are they forgotten in the drive to increase community policing? Star Corporal Willet Williams is the Crime Prevention Officer for the Metro Police Downtown Precinct. It's his job to act as the middle person or liaison between citizens and the police. “Our challenge and one of our missions are to always try to get the non-active neighborhoods to become active,” says SCpl. Williams. Meaning - get the people who live in the neighborhood to help the police do their job by looking out for each other.

SCpl. Williams says, “I'll start looking for some folks within the neighborhood that can more or less be a front person and start working through them.” Getting to know those community leaders makes this more than a nine to five job he says...”Just coming out, walking around in the evening you know. I may come out on a Saturday for about an hour around 11 o'clock - when people are up and out walking around to meet people in the neighborhood and go from there.” Getting those who seem willing, to call a meeting of neighbors to learn about crime prevention.

It's a personalized approach that those who live and work in the neighborhoods seem to appreciate. Sheldon Kelly runs a business in a downtown neighbhorhood, “I think it's important to work with the police because that's the only way you can do it as a community you know. Not one versus the other - so we all gotta work together and make something happen.” SCpl Williams says, “You come into a neighborhood like this one and you just get out and start communicating and talking to people that's living in the area and if they're not active, most times they're willing to come together and hear your cause and if they see where it will benefit them, most of the time they'll come onboard.” And that benefits everyone.

If you'd like more information on starting a neighborhood crimewatch program - call your area precinct and ask to speak to the Crime Prevention Officer.