by Greg Lincoln
The City of Bethel will be considering a resolution that supports and encourages the formation of neighborhood watch programs in various residential areas across the City of Bethel.
Council will consider Resolution 24-12, introduced by the Public Safety and Transportation Commission during their regular meeting on October 22nd, 2024.
Neighborhood Watch Programs are a well-known and widely used method to promote community-oriented safety in other Alaska communities, as well as nationally. The City of Bethel and the Bethel Police Department desire a close working relationship with Bethel residents in order to promote public safety.
“The safety and well-being of our community is of utmost importance to the City of Bethel and its residents,” states Res. 24-12. “Every resident has a responsibility to promote the safety and wellbeing of the community.”
The City of Bethel residents are encouraged to collaborate with the Bethel Police Department and the City of Bethel to facilitate neighborhood watch programs appropriate to their residential areas. There will be a Neighborhood Watch meeting hosted by the Bethel Police Department on Tuesday, October 29th, 2024 from 6pm-7pm at the City Hall council chambers.
Neighborhood Watch programs are made up of people living in the same area who want to make their neighborhood safer. They are tailored to meet their specific neighborhood goals through meetings to plan how to meet those goals. They are also work with local law enforcement to reduce crime and improve their quality of life.
Neighborhood Watch members volunteer to be the “eyes and ears” of their neighborhoods and they report their observations of suspicious activity to their local police department. Signs alerting to the presence of a Neighborhood Watch program can also be used to deter would-be criminals. Residents with a Neighborhood Watch program benefit from the lowered risk of crime.
Resolution 24-12 is currently on council’s consent agenda.
