Community Corner

Lilburn Residents Get Connected on Neighborhood Watch Groups

Orientation sponsored by SafetySmart Lilburn covered the basics of promoting safety in the community.

Teresa Czyz is the vice president of the Springwood Neighborhood Watch group in Lilburn.

Owner of Doberman and Doberman-mix dogs, she’s also known in her subdivision as “the woman with the two big dogs” from her walks with her pets.

Her statement drew laughter from many of the 45 residents in attendance at a Tuesday night SafetySmart Lilburn public get-together at Lilburn City Hall, but it also made a valuable point in how to keep a neighborhood safe.

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Being visible and connecting with those you come across in your community — those you know and those you don’t — can be important first steps in establishing a Neighborhood Watch group. The “smile and wave” tactic can be an empowering act, said Czyz and other speakers at the meeting, which served as an orientation session for Greater Lilburn residents (inside and out of the city limits) interested in forming their own Neighborhood Watch groups.

“The first thing we say is smile and wave,” SafetySmart Vice President Heather Koffman, who led the presentation. “You look someone in the eye, smile and say hello.”

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“Communication does a great deal in breaking down barriers with your neighbors,” added Thor Johnson, president of the non-profit organization that aims to partner with community and government agencies for the sake of safety.

No matter the differences in ethnicity, religion and economics, “We all want the same three things,” Johnson said. “Good education, opportunity for prosperity and safety. The safety aspect may be the most important one.”

The 90-minute session covered the basics of starting a Neighborhood Watch, from rallying and meeting with neighbors, to establishing “block captains,” to connecting with law enforcement. “Some people are intimidated about calling the police. Don’t be,” Koffman said. ”That’s what they’re there for.”

Interim Police Chief Bruce Hedley agreed, saying, “Without partnerships with residents, we cannot do our jobs the best we can.”

Johnson said SafetySmart is willing to help neighborhoods get organized. For more information and to sign up for help, go to the SafetySmart Lilburn website. The group also is conducting a survey of public perceptions of safety. The survey, in four languages, is also on the website.


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