Officials from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office have launched a neighborhood watch program at Raven Crest Apartments they hope will put more eyes and ears on their team.
Deputy Russ Persons says the neighborhood watch program – at Raven Crest on Georgetown Road – is an ideal area for a prototype though it has a low crime rate.
“There are a lot of close residents who communicate well with one another, and they really want a better quality of life,” said Persons, who has worked with the complex owners to start the program for about five months.
Though Raven Crest doesn’t have a lot of crime, residents and owners say they want to become proactive about illegal activity in their community.
Holly White, a three-year resident of Raven Crest, will act as one of the “block leaders” for the program. Her job will be to communicate suspicious activity to the sheriff’s office.
“I have a teenage daughter and I know what (younger people) can get into, and I’m not afraid to report someone,” White said in front of the apartment complex Thursday.
The leaders in the neighborhood will learn how to report the type of information – including license plate number and type of vehicle – deputies will need when investigating suspicious activity, Persons said.
Sheriff Pat Melton said this is the first community watch program at an apartment complex in the county, and he hopes others will “jump on board.”
“They are going to be our extra eyes and ears,” Melton said.
Robert Roach, the City Commission candidate who received the most votes in Tuesday’s primary election, is one of the owners of the complex, and he says he plans to move the program – if successful – to his other properties.
“Crime can go on anywhere, but no matter how much we have we always want less,” Roach said.
He says the complex will not only be a safer place to live, but he also hopes to create a stronger sense of community for his residents.
“It’s just another step we can take to make the area like a community,” Roach said.
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