When there's trouble on the block

It had been years since I last went to a Neighborhood Watch meeting.

For the uninitiated, Neighborhood Watch programs are regular, usually monthly, meetings between a representative of the police department and any citizens who wish to attend.

The officer will usually report on calls for service the department received from the area, let citizens know what's going on in the department in regards to the area, and field questions and hear about problems of those who attend.

I went once, maybe twice five or so years ago, maybe longer, but stopped. It seemed to me much of the meeting was consumed with complaints of residents about things that were either petty or not really within the jurisdiction of the police department.

But my pastor has been encouraging his flock to attend the meetings and random break-ins have occurred in the neighborhood. (Sidebar: I do believe that if someone rips off your lawn mower, it's a sign that you no longer should be doing lawn work).

Many residents of Harrison Avenue were quite unhappy with activities in their neighborhood. The Neighborhood Watch meeting held monthly at Tom's Restaurant usually attracts five or six people, this time it drew more than 50. And they were bound to be heard and bound to have something done about troubles on their block, which is very near mine.

The troubles by and large, stem from large numbers of people, mostly young, hanging around two particular houses and causing mayhem of one kind or another. The activities have caused obvious levels of anger and fear in the folks attending the meeting from that block and they were easily the majority of those in attendance.

Cmdr. Siems, of the Calumet City Police Department, had a tough job. He had to explain there are things the police can and cannot do. Also there are things that are being done that either need to be kept quiet for the time being or that simply take time if they are to be done successfully and legally.

It's a tough balancing act. Luckily, our form of government affords us certain liberties and protections. And it affords those protections to everyone, even idiots and bad actors.

For example, large crowds gathering on someone's property is perfectly fine if the homeowner approves. (Many people have large numbers of people over for picnics, parties, barbecues, etc.). If people break the law in some way at a gathering, then it becomes a police matter.

In the case on Harrison Avenue, it seems people do gather, impede traffic, disturb the peace, harass and threaten folks and these are police matters and the police are called. The police come and as you might guess, the activities they were called to deal with, have stopped.

But the police have detained and arrested people. They, and the neighbors, I'm sure, are frustrated when it seems not much is done after that to end the problems especially since many of the mayhem creators are juveniles.

I was glad I went. I learned things I need to know about the neighborhood. It was good to see people unite and organize with their neighbors to combat a problem. They are doing what they were encouraged to do and what common sense dictates — namely to know and communicate with your neighbors. There were a whole bunch of telephone numbers exchanged at that meeting.

The underlying reality is that much of what was talked about is not strictly police problems, but societal problems. The police have their part to play to solve problems of this sort, but so do churches, and schools, and park districts, and governments. And maybe most of all ... families.

Thanks for reading.

The opinions are solely those of the writer.