Last week it was announced that the Town of Silverhill will be organizing "Neighborhood Watches" in their community. These are wonderful organizations to keep our neighborhoods safe.

What is a "Neighborhood Watch" you ask? It is a citizen’s organization devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood. This began developing back in the late 1960’s as a response to the rape and murder of a woman named Kitty Genoves in Queens, New York. People were outraged after reports that there were three dozen witnesses whom were right there watching but did nothing to save her or apprehend her killer. The local people formed groups to watch over their neighborhoods and keep a look out for any suspicious activity in their area. Shortly thereafter in 1972, the National Sheriffs’ Association began a concerted effort to revitalize the "watch group" idea and nationalized it.

You can now join the ranks of thousands of neighborhoods and register your neighborhood group through your local police department. I remember reading about many angry people in different areas of the country over the years that were tired of the crime in their neighborhoods and decided to do something about it and rallied their neighbors to help. This is a great way to cut down crime and have some peace of mind that our children can play safely in our yards.

According to USAonwatch.org there are five easy steps to take for you to implement a Neighborhood Watch:

— Recruit and Organize as many neighbors as possible.

— Contact your local law enforcement agency and schedule a meeting.

— Discuss community concerns and develop an action plan.

— Hold regular meetings and train neighbors for emergencies.

— Implement a phone tree and take action steps.

I admit that the crime in the Central Baldwin area is not what a major city would be; even compared to Mobile. But it is a good way to prevent a tragedy in our neighborhoods. The extra time taken to get to know your neighbors would help in any situation.

During the tragic day of Sept 11, we are reminded of how a community action group could help protect families and help reduce the impact an emergency has in our lives. There would be little chaos if an incident like this occurred again. During the hurricane season coming up, this kind of preparation can help us take steps to keep crime out of our neighborhoods when there is great damage.

So if you feel so inclined to keep a safe watch over your neighborhood, rally your neighbors together and take action. A "Neighborhood Watch" is what we need to keep our families safe.

Loxley resident Valerie J. Steimle is the author of two books, “Home Is Where The Heart Is, A look at strengthening the American Family,” and her latest book, “Home Is Where The Learning Is” (www.amazon.com/gp/product/1403379637). Contact her at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com or visit her website at www.stengthenyourhome.com.