Should We Pay Block Watches?

[iwasthere]

i say, "put up or shut up".

[irishbobcat]

Then I guess the business folks should ante up and make periodical donantions to good block watch programs....

[jay]

We used to have several policemen (and firemen) living in the area around my neighborhood.  They added a sense of security because they lived with us and were more adept at spotting criminal activity.  They almost all moved to the suburbs now that the state of Ohio's legislature trashed our city charter's residency rule.

I feel good block watches should be compensated in some way for being the eyes and ears of the police force.

[iwasthere]

i say let the realtors or business owners start to ante up with protection monies to bw and coalitions groups for security purposes,

[Towntalk]

Block Watches are not law enforcement agencies or private security businesses and could not as such perform private security services.  They are not state licensed, nor do they have the authority by virtue of a state license to make arrests other than maby citizens arrest which in and of itself means very little since the perpetrator could simply walk away, and if the block watch person tried to stop him, he could be in trouble.

As set up, block watches are great, and much needed, we all agree on that, but to "compensate" them for doing what every good citizen should be doing is something else.

[irishbobcat]

So many places to go with this topic.....so does this Youngstown business now wants to "pay for protection"?

Couldn't they just hire their own overnight security firm?

[jay]

A Youngstown business was recently broken into and vandalized.  The realtor for the property sent a message to nearby block watches asking them to do a better job of protecting his client's property.  Most block watches are not set up to do around the clock surveillance.  Up until now, this has been a function of the police department.

Question
If a block watch does an exceptional job of reporting and preventing crimes, should that block watch and its members be financially compensated by the city?