Grover Beach Police to teach community how to create Neighborhood Watch groups

Fawn Davis has lived in the same house in Grover Beach for more than 30 years. She says their community has always been extremely quiet.

“I mean it’s very rare that you hear sirens or an ambulance unless it’s during the rainy season that’s when we mostly have accidents and stuff,” Davis explains.

The community’s quiet nature hasn’t stopped her and her neighbors from being vigilant about watching each other’s homes however.

“We’re all kinda of — I don’t want to say nosy but we’re inquisitive when we see are car or something going on we don’t just say: “oh…” We’re concerned. Having somebody that’s in the neighborhood and aware, it’s like having a free alarm,” she says.

Commander Angel Limon of the Grover Beach Police Department hopes to see neighbors like Davis’s at the department’s Neighborhood Watch meeting on Wednesday. Officers will teach communities how to start a watch group in their area.

“We’ll be informing people about what to look for in terms of suspicious or criminal activity and to notify either their neighbors or especially the police departments in regards to individuals who are not usually seen within their neighborhoods,” Commander Limon explains.

Commander Limon says creating stronger bonds between neighbors can help keep communities free of crime, telling us: “As long as we all stay in greater communication with each other then we should be able to prevent criminal activity that could develop.”

The Grover Beach Police Department says it hopes to see 20-40 watch groups set up across the city.

The Department’s next watch meeting will be March 23rd from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Trouville Community Center