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Dillsboro kicks off community watch effort
By Derek hodges
On the Tuesday night (Nov. 23) before Thanksgiving, about a dozen folks braved rain and a looming turkey-cooking deadline to take part in the beginning of Dillsboro's community watch program.
The meeting, in the fellowship hall of the Jarrett Memorial Baptist Church, was the first in what town leaders hope will be a series of meetings to make citizens more aware and the community safer.
A string of unrelated crimes that have included vandalism, theft and drug activity prompted the session that focused on making citizens more aware of what to watch for to help prevent crime.
Sgt. Johnny Hollifield of the Jackson County Sherrif's Department gave attendees their first lessons in crime prevention. Locking car and home doors, watching for suspicious activity, and keeping an eye on empty houses are a few of the pointers he gave the group. He also described signs to watch for that might indicate drug activity.
Perry Sutton of Dillsboro said he thought the program was a good idea and said he remembers a previous community watch program.
"We had it before, but then they dropped out of it for some reason," he said.
The basic idea behind community watch, neighbors watching out for neighbors, is one that appeals to many in the area, including Sutton.
"This community watch is a good thing," he said. "You get people involved watching for you, and you watch for somebody else."
In the coming months the town will begin the process of identifying a community watch coordinator, who will oversee the entire operation. Block captains will also be picked to coordinate the work in each neighborhood. Block captains will hold neighborhood meetings in their respective areas and will coordinate the work of participating neighbors in the watch program.
Additional meetings are planned, and invitations will be sent to all registered votersin Dillsboro and the surrounding area, said Herb Nolan, Dillsboro's town clerk.
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