Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Tekoa’s new “Neighbors On Patrol” program aims for a spring start with organizers seeking to add volunteers.
City Councilwoman Alyssa Heaggy said the patrol project grew out of a rise in Tekoa crime last summer. Crimes included car prowling and burglaries.
Organizers have divided the city into sections with one of eight leaders assigned to each.
“They don’t only patrol, they get to know their neighbors,” said Heaggy.
The purpose of the patrols is to observe.
“They do not confront,” Heaggy said.
If people on a patrol see suspicious behavior, they are instructed to keep a tally, which is sent by e-mail to the Whitman County Sheriff’s office.
The group’s first quarterly meeting for the section leaders was Jan. 4.
Items discussed included landscaping.
“High bushes in front of a window is a good place for a burglar,” Heaggy said.
The patrols, once started, will vary depending on seasons and other factors.
“Sometimes it’s just being aware,” said Heaggy.
“A sense of safety was taken away due to these things,” Heaggy commented on the crime problems last year. “In Tekoa, before, it was fine to keep your keys in your car.”
Parts of the city still in need of leaders and patrollers include west Tekoa on the other side of Highway 27, south of Hangman Creek and the golf course area east of Highway 27.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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