Katie Polavin, crime prevention coordinator for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, addressed the Falcon Area Issues Roundtable meeting held at the Falcon fire station Feb. 23.Polavin focused on ways the community can help the sheriff’s office deter crime, and she emphasized the value of establishing neighborhood watch programs.Polavin said the sheriff’s office has 10 officers on duty to patrol the entire county at any given time. The sheriff relies on involved citizens to act as the office’s eyes and ears and report suspicious activity to the non-emergency dispatch line at 719-390-5555.Neighborhood Watch establishes precinct and block captains who facilitate neighbors meeting each other and taking a vested interest in the well being of the community. As community awareness grows, residents are more likely to notice suspicious activity and report it, Polavin said.Watch programs are shown to deter criminals from targeting communities. Polavin said a 10-year study revealed crime rates in neighborhoods with a neighborhood watch program were 66 percent lower than in communities without.”Don’t live your life in fear,” Polavin said. “The sheriff’s office just wants you to think ahead so you don’t become a victim.”For more information about participating in a Neighborhood Watch program, visit the El Paso County Sheriff’s Web site at http://shr.elpasoco.com.The next FAIR meeting will be held in March and posted on the Web site at www.falconroundtable.org.Submitted by Natalie Gowen
