A rise in criminal activity in old southwest Reno has prompted action from its residents.
On Saturday, members of Ward 1 gathered for a neighborhood watch training seminar with the Reno Police Department.
The Reno Police Department Neighborhood Watch Program aims to reduce crime through citizen and police cooperation.
Council member Jenny Brekhus says the citizens in Ward 1 all have one common goal, and that's the safety and well-being of the neighborhoods they live in.
Brekhus says in order to achieve this goal; old southwest residents plan to re-establish their neighborhood watch program.
"We're going to take assignments and people are going to offer up to be participants and active on their blocks," says Brekhus.
Officer Tim Broadway with RPD says Ward 1 has seen a recent 16% spike in criminal activity, and by working together with the residents, they hope to make the neighborhood a safer place.
"Communicating whether it's via text, via telephone, emails, that way we can work together to catch these criminals that are victimizing the neighborhood," says Broadway.
Establishing neighborhood watch to decrease criminal activity is one thing, but watch programs can also create neighborhood bonds and a greater sense of security.
Broadway hopes the neighborhood watch program serves as a stepping stone toward safer neighborhoods all across town.
“Give you some information and some steps to follow to set up a neighborhood watch, we'll go over crime trends so that way we can make Reno the safe and wonderful community that it is," says Broadway.
