Crime & Safety

Neighborhood Watch Group Gets National Recognition

The National Sheriffs' Association has awarded the three-year-old Fairfield Way/Foxmoor Neighborhood Watch program third place in its annual Awards of Excellence competition.

For three years, residents of the Fairfield Way and Foxmoor subdivisions have participated in a successful Neighborhood Watch program, the first one on the west side and the largest in the . According to those who live there, the program has made the neighborhoods safer and brought them closer together.

And now those efforts have been recognized by the National Sheriffs’ Association—the Fairfield Way/Foxmoor Neighborhood Watch program just won third place in the NSA’s annual Awards of Excellence competition.

Police Chief Daniel Meyers presented the award to Trustee Stan Bond, who worked to organize the Neighborhood Watch program three years ago and serves as its president. But Bond waved aside any notion that the award belonged to him.

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“This really is for the community,” he said. “The role of Neighborhood Watch is to reduce the opportunity for crime, and to provide more and better information to law enforcement, and this group has had success in both areas.”

He’s right, according to Meyers. With about 76 percent of homeowners in the two subdivisions participating, and more than 670 homes on the email and phone lists, the watch program has helped reduce incidents of vandalism and petty crime, Meyers said.

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Sgt. Adam Kuncl spoke at a recent Neighborhood Watch meeting, and said this: “I live in Fairfield Way, so I’ve seen the before and after. I can tell you with the utmost degree of certainty that you guys are doing a good job.”

Bond works with four coordinators—Ben Brzoska, Jim Coulter, Ed Fowler and Vivian Rabiola—and 31 block captains. Bond maintains the group’s website. The mailing list is used to warn residents of suspicious people, or report crimes, and Bond said it’s so effective now that often the residents can spot the perpetrator before he even gets out of the subdivision.

The education component has worked wonders as well, Bond said. Now residents know what info to provide to police—license plate numbers, identifying characteristics, particular articles of clothing.

“It’s made a big difference,” Bond said. “We’re giving the police force much better information.”

Meyers nominated the Fairfield Way/Foxmoor Neighborhood Watch for the NSA’s annual contest. Judges rank Watch programs based on whether they are “innovative, demonstrate excellence, and are exemplary in their approach to involving citizens and/or the community in volunteerism,” according to the USAOnWatch website.

“I hope this (award) will inspire other groups in the community to enter and compete, and form their own groups,” Bond said.

There are currently six Neighborhood Watch groups on the west side, including organizations in the Orchard Prairie North, Lakewood Creek West, Huntington Chase, Blackberry Crossing and Balmorea subdivisions. The Montgomery Police Department provides information on forming your own group here.


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