Town Neighborhood Watch Presentation Focuses on Signage and Deterrence

On Monday evening, July 31^st a crowd of some 50 people gathered at the Kobylenski Lodge at Camp Cochipianee for an informational meeting on crime statistics and Neighborhood Watch programs.

State Police Trooper Roy Dungan of Troop B in North Canaan began the meeting by presenting comparative police and crime statistics for Goshen and North Canaan, two Northwest Connecticut towns with nearly identical populations. Although both towns had roughly the same number of traffic accidents last year – 28 in Goshen vs. 29 in North Canaan – North Canaan had almost double the number of domestic violence calls (41 vs. 21) and 5 times the number of larcenies (20 vs. 4). Police conducted 80% more traffic stops in Goshen than in North Canaan, however (371 vs. 204).

Questions from participants focused on recent incidents of car thefts and break-ins. Both Trooper Dungan and retired police officer Toby Geiger emphasized the importance of locking cars and securing property. Thieves are looking for fast, easy takings, they were told, and will often move from car to car looking for one that is unlocked. If there happens to be a key or fob in the car, they will take the car. “People are not securing their belongings,” Dungan said, and that’s like “inviting people to take them”. While it was repeatedly stated that Goshen is not in the midst of a crime wave and is not an unsafe place to live, it is more affluent than some of the larger nearby cities and as such, can be attractive for thieves.

Troop B has 13 towns in their area and 11 of them have no law enforcement of their own. They work in shifts of 4 officers, 1 of which covers Sharon, Cornwall and Goshen. Additional manpower can be brought in for special events like the Goshen Fair, however, or for critical investigations. Generally, they rely heavily on the public for information and trooper Dungan encouraged people to contact State Police whenever they see something out of the norm. The police will take anonymous complaints if people do not want to identify themselves.

Neighborhood Watch programs are essentially about knowing your neighbors and recognizing when something is out of place, such as activity around the house of a neighbor that is away on vacation. Neighborhood Watch signage acts as a deterrent because criminals look for easy marks and will go somewhere else if they think neighborhood residents are paying attention to suspicious activity.

Photo: Trooper Roy Dungan, Toby Geiger and First Selectman Todd Carusillo discuss Neighborhood Watch signage at the July 31^st informational meeting

First Selectman Todd Carusillo talked about Neighborhood Watch signage that will be ordered by the Town and installed by the Public Works department for neighborhoods that request them. He showed several examples of typical signage.

For some attendees, that can’t be done too quickly.