Watch group: Community can band together to prevent crime

There is a story in the newspaper just about every day about a crime or a search for a criminal as part of a law enforcement investigation.

And let's be honest -- we really don't want to get involved. Many of us wait to hear -- and expect to hear -- that local officials have solved the crimes on their own and that a suspect is in custody.

But wait, what if we were all an active part of keeping this community safe? What if we were watchdogs in our neighborhoods and when we are out and about in the city and county?

And, to go further, what if we were more willing to report suspicious activity and to get involved when a crime occurs?

How long do you think it would be before the criminals decided that this was a place that was not worth the risk?

Stopping crime is about more than simply hiring more law enforcement officers. It is about supporting the efforts of the ones we have as they try to find criminals and to bring them to justice.

The problem is, some of us are afraid of these criminals and what the repercussions might be if we step up and give the officers the information they need.

And that has to stop.

Criminals win and crime gets worse when no one is willing to stand up and say "no more."

And it is not about marches, speeches or any other activity that offers nothing but lip service to crime prevention.

And there is no magic hire either who will lead any law enforcement agency to a perfect record of arrests and solved cases.

So what if we tried it? What if we looked out for our neighbors and got on the phone right away when a crime is suspected? What if we let drug dealers know that if they sell in our block, the police are going to know about it?

It is a gutsy move, but it is really the only way to make sure that crime goes down in our community.

It is certainly worth a try.

Published in Editorials on February 13, 2015 11:11 AM