Cactus Village Community

We Need to Know Our Neighbors Better by Roger Jenkins

Jul 17, 2003

The longer I write this column, the more convinced I become that we need to know our neighbors better. The Association can accomplish a lot of tasks to make life better in this half square mile (for instance, working with the city to install speed humps on Belmont making improvements at the park and so forth) but crime prevention will best occur on the street where you live. If you know your neighbors and they know you, less can occur that will not be noticed by someone on the street.
If you haven?’t had a meeting with the people on your street; may no. better time to do it than right away.
What shall we do at such a meeting? It doesn?’t have to be a long, boring, session. Try meeting people, learning their names, exchanging telephone numbers, and discussing any issues that anyone might have. Decide what to do and who will do it and then go home.
No one can meet your neighbors for you. But you will be-glad that you did.
Below find a summary of the kind of information you might want to exchange:
?• What is your name?
?• What is your telephone number?
?• Where do you work?
?• If there is a problem during the day, how can you be reached?
?• Is there a family member who should be contacted if you can?’t be reached?
?• How will I recognize that something is going on at your home that should cause me to call the police?
Exchanging even this simple information can be valuable. After all; what do you want the neighbors to do if a big truck is parked in the driveway of your house while you are at work? Do you want them to:
-wonder what is going on, and then not worry about it?
-call you at work and ask if someone should be going in and out of your back yard?
For help in organizing your neighborhood blockwatch or for more information, call Holly Alexander or Roger Jenkins. . . ☺