Citizens discuss neighborhood watch plan

BARSTOW • Retirees, young professionals, city officials, and a motel manager were among the citizens who showed up at the offices of the Police Activity League Wednesday night.

Their concerns ranged from burglaries to drugs and gangs, but all had the same thing on their minds — making Barstow a safer place.
Approximately 30 citizens assembled to learn more about the budding neighborhod watch program that the Barstow Police Department hopes to put in place.

Capers Hamilton, a retiree who lives on the east side of town, said that his block tried to start a neighborhood watch program five or six years ago, but it never got much beyond putting up signs. He hopes to do it right this time.

“We haven’t had too much vandalism and stuff like that, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” he said.

Chief Dianne Burns said that when she first arrived in Barstow, coming from the Los Angeles Police Department, she was struck by the disproportionate number of property crimes in the city, including vehicle and residential burglaries.

People present at the meeting said they wanted to make Barstow’s streets safer, but most cited property crimes as their first concern. Some had been victims of burglaries and other crimes already. Others, like Hamilton, were looking at prevention.

Jack Rubio said he worries about burglars or home invaders targeting his house while he is at work and his wife and three small children are at home. For the most part, though, he thought his family would be more likely to fall victim to property crimes than violence. Acts of violence are more likely to take place out on the streets at night, when his family is at home and inside, he said.

Trudi Kincaid, who lives on Linda Lane, said burglaries and vandalism were among the problems in her area, but she attributed the base root of the problem to drugs. Likewise, Deseret Avenue resident Nakeisha Whiteside said she is sick of gangs and drugs. Whiteside said she wants to live in a community where her second-grade daughter can safely walk a few blocks to school.

Not only citizens but businesses are showing an interest in the new program. Daryl Best is the temporary manager at Barstow’s Motel 6. He showed up to the meeting in hopes of finding a way to make the low-budget motel and the area around it a safer place.

Best said he wants to work with police to target drugs, car break-ins, and other issues, and to make sure the motel is doing its part for the community.

Contact the writer:
(760) 256-4123 or asewell@desertdispatch.com

What’s Next?

The Barstow Police Department expects to hold a 40-hour neighborhood watch citizens’ academy beginning in late January, possibly in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The academy will cover crime prevention strategies and safe ways to observe and report suspected criminal activity. Neighborhood watch groups will need to appoint a block captain and commit to a monthly meeting with police.

Prior to the academy, one more informational session will be held, on a date yet to be determined. For more information, call Sgt. Tim Heiden at 760-255-5188.