Salinas Police Department starting Neighborhood Watch Program

Three years ago staffing issues and budget constraints caused the Neighborhood Watch Program to be cut from the Salinas Police Department.

“I typically would get three to four phone calls a week saying ‘can we start a neighborhood watch,’ or ‘do you guys still support neighborhood watch,’ and I would have to tell them, ‘no,'” Said Salinas Police Department Sgt. Heath Johnson.

That is all changing as the Salinas Police Department has decided to start the program once again, and the first step for Sergeant Heath Johnson was to train a group of volunteers.

“When someone calls to start a neighborhood watch those volunteers will show up at their houses or apartment complex and do a presentation, give supplies, and get them started,” said Sgt. Heath Johnson.

According to the Salinas Police Department a successful neighborhood watch program is not about patrolling the neighborhood you live and confronting whoever you see, it’s about serving as the eyes and ears for law enforcement.

“We need witnesses, we need people to say what they saw and it helps us solve crimes. It inevitably drives crime rates down,” said Sgt. Heath Johnson.

Since the program nationally launched in 1972, studies show decreased crime in neighborhoods with an active watch program.

“There are several neighborhoods in town that have very well know neighborhood watch programs. The Lorna district, which is in South Salinas for example. They are a very active Neighborhood Watch community and the crime rate is lower there than in some of the neighborhoods that don’t have it,” said Sgt. Johnson.

Proving that crime prevention needs to be a community effort.

Johnson “it’s important that they all stay in touch with each other, that they all watch out for each other’s properties and that they call the police when they see something suspicious.”

If you want to start a Neighborhood Watch Program on your block you can do so by emailing salinaspdvolunteers@gmail.com or call 1-831-800-1911