One of the pleasures of this assignment is the close relationship I enjoy with the Rancho Palos Verdes Neighborhood Watch program. You have, as far as I can see, the largest and most active Neighborhood Watch in Los Angeles County. This is something to be proud of, and should give our residents a sense of well-being.

Some citizens have asked about the value of the Neighborhood Watch program to Law Enforcement. More to the point, they are really asking if their own involvement is of value to the deputies who patrol their neighborhood. The answer is Yes! Because of Neighborhood Watch, our citizen/police partnership is much stronger, which makes for a safer community.

Recently we had good information that a group of suspects was out "capering" on the Peninsula, looking to rob people at their homes. Since we had no vehicle description, we were concerned that they would victimize someone else before we could find them. Without Neighborhood Watch, how could we alert our residents of the danger in time? The Neighborhood Watch Network made it relatively easy. Using the phone tree, we were able to put out a city-wide alert in less than an hour.

Neighborhood Watch has also proven valuable in solving crimes. Not long ago, a Detective from L.A. City Police contacted me and asked for help solving a crime. A young woman had been kidnapped in Los Angeles and taken to a local park, where she was sexually assaulted. The Detective was wondering if any of the neighbors had seen or heard anything, or knew about a certain aspect of the crime. We got the word out to the Area Coordinator and Block Captains, and within days I was able to pass some information back to the Detective. Based on these leads, the Detective developed the case and made two arrests.

Despite the way things seem to be portrayed in the news media, your crime statistics have declined steadily since the Neighborhood Watch program began in 1992. We see a definite relationship in the location and number of crimes committed in Neighborhood Watch areas as compared with areas and homes not in Neighborhood Watch. There is significantly more calling-in of suspicious circumstances, more awareness, and more networking, resulting in more apprehensions and a better partnership with Law Enforcement. This is an accomplishment all Neighborhood Watch members have contributed to and in which they can take pride. Neighborhood Watch is the cornerstone of community policing.