Even More Straight Talk About Neighborhood Watch

"Be precise in use of words and expect precision from others." - Abelard

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A woman recently called me to ask why the neighborhood watch in her ward wasn't doing anything about the neighborhood drug dealer. 

"Your ward doesn't have a neighborhood watch." I told her. "But if you're willing to work I can see to it that you get all the help you need to start a neighborhood watch."

"But my ward must have a neighborhood watch," said the lady, "because there's a big metal sign in front of my house that says my neighborhood is protected by a neighborhood watch."

"Is a sign the same thing as a neighborhood watch"? I asked.

"No," she admitted.

"Can a sign protect you?" I asked.

"No," she admitted again.

"Ma'am, if you'd like to start a neighborhood watch in your ward, I will help you. If you're willing to work I'll make sure you get the help you need."

"But there must already be a neighborhood watch in my ward because somebody told my husband they have meetings," said the lady.

"Ma'am, is a meeting of 5 or 6 people in a church fellowship hall the same thing as a neighborhood watch"? I asked.

"No," she admitted.

"And you just told me that nobody is doing anything about the drug dealer in your neighborhood. If your neighborhood had a neighborhood watch wouldn't somebody be watching the cars and people who come and go? Wouldn't somebody be writing down license numbers and physical descriptions of visitors and reporting this information to police?" I asked. 

Once again I offered to help her start a neighborhood watch in her ward.

If you live in St. Albans, WV, and you know that signs and poorly attended meetings aren't making your neighborhood safer, then here's what you need to know: if you're willing to do some work, the St. Albans Neighborhood Watch Advisory Board will see to it that you get the help you need to advance from mere signs and meetings to a real neighborhood watch. We will not let you fail if you're willing to do some work. 

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