East Court group gets volunteers for neighborhood watch

A second special meeting of the College Cultural Neighborhood Association Crime Watch Committee May 13 resulted in 14 people volunteering to help organize a crime watch. The group will meet two weeks after the group's regular meeting May 20 to set priorities.

"We're here to look at our options and determine which way to go," said Vice President Mike Keeler, chairman of the meeting.

Keeler outlined three options — hire a commercial firm to patrol the neighborhood, use volunteers to patrol or be the eyes and ears for the Flint Police Department.

There was then a discussion about the benefits of hiring an outside firm to parole the area. In the past, the association hired a commercial firm to do unarmed patrols. Member Alex Harris recounted how the watch was organized and paid for during its 18-month existence. Eventually, the patrol stopped because donations dwindled.

"There was no requirement to participate," Harris explained.

Questions about hiring a security firm to patrol the neighborhood included how effective the previous commercial patrol had been.

"There were no major incidents," Harris explained. He said he believed just the presence of a security car in the area helped to reduce crime.

Dave Hanson and Brian Burdy, Mott Community College police officers, reminded members that visibility is everything, but said an outside firm does not have arrest powers. Other members questioned the need to hire an outside firm when MCC police already patrol the area.

Members inquired about getting crime statistics. Councilman Dale Weighill (Ward 7) said he requested the statistics and the chief of police told him he is getting the information.

Asked what percentage of crimes is drug related, Judge M. Cathy Dowd of the 68^th District Court said, from the cases she handles, she estimates 95 percent of the crimes are drug related. The MCC police officers agreed that drug related crime is very high.

The group also focused on crime prevention education and ways of getting information to residents.

Non-operative streetlights were an area where the group decided to take immediate action. It assigned two members to identify locations and report the information to the city.

Members concerned with reduced Flint Police staff discussed grants and other options to allow the city to hire more officers.