Haverhill to Implement Neighborhood Watch

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Published on Friday, 10 February 2017 15:53

Written by Mike Loverde

HAVERHILL - The town of Haverhill currently has eleven officers that patrol roughly 55 square miles. In order to provide assistance to the officers of the town, Haverhill Police Chief Byron Charles is trying once again to start a neighborhood watch program.

Charles once tried to start a neighborhood watch program about five or six years ago, but ultimately failed to do so.

"We had some interest at the time, but there really was no follow through after that," Charles said.

Although there is no neighborhood watch in place right now, the residents of Haverhill are still eager to help.

"'How is it that we can help? What can we do?' Those are the types of questions come forward," Charles said, "This isn't the be-all-end-all, but it certainly is a way to assist the community and law enforcement in part."

Neighborhood watch programs serve as extra eyes and ears for reporting crimes. Members of the neighborhood watch will get to know their neighbors and learn how to make each other's homes secure.

Out of the 195 arrests that were made in Haverhill in 2016, 7% were drug related, 22% were traffic related and 17% for shoplifting- all crimes that could easily spotted by any resident.

The Haverhill Police are looking for volunteers to go out and, according to Charles, "be good observers.'"

"As a United States citizen, you should be able to not just report it but be able to stand up and say what's wrong," Charles said. "I will report it and I'll follow through with it right through to prosecution if necessary."

Chief Charles is hoping for a large number of volunteers that are looking to join the neighborhood watch program. To join a neighborhood watch program, call your local law enforcement agency asking if there is are any neighborhood watch programs in your neighborhood. If there isn't a neighborhood watch near around, anybody can go reach out to law enforcement to start one.

HAVERHILL NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH from NewsLINC on Vimeo.