There is a new community watch program in Riverton to combat rising crime within the last six months. The community watch program met for the first time earlier this month to discuss methods of lowering rising crime rates.
During the meeting, Riverton Police Chief Eric Murphy said they get calls about stolen cars a couple times every night.
Community watch founder and Riverton resident Greg Tallabas said witnessing violent acts in his neighborhood moved him to act.
“There were shootings, two blocks away, and a break in in a house that ended? up in a shooting, and there were shootings down behind McDonald's over there. I think we've had three cars, that's on my block, and all of our vehicles have all been broken into,” he said.
Tallabas said he wants people to look out for their neighbors but in a safe way, so Riverton will be split up into different zones of communities. Groups will then be responsible for learning and creating a culture of responsibility, he said.
“It's not going to be vigilante but it's going to be getting out there and being neighborly, and that says everything and we're gonna do it with training and cooperation with R.P.D. [Riverton Police Department] and with great faith there will be changes,” he said.
The group of around half a dozen people will be trained on methods of community watch, and how to create zones different individuals will be accountable for.
