By Greg Ellison, Staff Writer

 (Oct. 26, 2017) For nearly two years, John Walker has strived to establish a neighborhood watch program near his 8th Street home in Pocomoke.

Two years ago, Walker’s home was burglarized in broad daylight while his family was away.

“Ours wasn’t the first one,” he said. “Within the last two years, there have been numerous break-ins just on our street.”

After learning of comparable incidents in the vicinity, Walker contacted the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department in January 2016 to find out what measures could be taken by residents to prevent further burglaries. He was advised to contact the Pocomoke Police Department.

However, after having several conversations with Pocomoke Police Chief William Harden about establishing a neighborhood watch program, Walker was discouraged when the proposal was rejected because of a lack of manpower and funding.

“The [neighborhood watch] signs are already there,” he said.

Before being turned down, Walker said Harden requested paperwork, which included a list of names and contact information for residents interested in the program.

“The paperwork … was a list of names of everybody that wants to participate and it has to be given to the police,” he said. “[Harden] assigns everybody a number, so instead of me calling saying my name is John Walker … I call in and say [what] my number is and I see someone going through my window. That way nobody knows who called.”

Last Thursday, Walker questioned Harden directly during a police-sponsored community meeting concerning a recent string of burglaries. The meeting attracted a large crowd to the Pocomoke Fire Departments’ Community Center.

After listening to a half-hour presentation from Harden asking the community to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, Walker asked if a double standard was at play.

“You’re basically telling us to do community policing, and be proactive and vigilant with our observations,” he said. “We tried to form a neighborhood watch over two years ago and we go nothing but stopped by the police department.”

Harden said there were complex training protocols required prior to starting crime prevention programs with residents.

“Forming a neighborhood watch program is not just having people raise their hand and go out and stop people with flashlights,” he said. “I don’t want people in our neighborhood watch program that just want to be out there to tell people what to do.”

To this point, Harden said efforts to secure grant funding to cover training and equipment costs for a neighborhood watch program have been fruitless.

“It’s cost effective when we have it, but I need the money to get it going,” he said.

In the absence of current funding, Walker asked if another approach could allow the community to assist law enforcement.

“Why we can’t have a group that gets together … and basically communicates more directly with the police department?” he said.

Harden said if community members are acting in unsanctioned manners, in the absence of law enforcement officers, issues of vicarious liability could arise.

“You would be an extension, in essence, of the police department,” he said. “If you’re not trained and out there doing things that you shouldn’t be doing, I’m going to get complaints from the citizens and … we could get sued.”

Harden said it’s vital to select individuals with the correct temperament to successfully partner with law enforcement.

“I don’t want people that are overzealous,” he said. “I want people that are qualified that will make us proud as a police department and as an extension of the police department.”

Although his efforts to launch a neighborhood watch program continue to be stymied, Walker left the meeting with renewed hope that Pocomoke could reduce its heightened crime statistics.

He said more meetings, as well as a victim support group for those who have been burglarized, would be useful.

“I think it would do people good to talk about it,” he said. “It’s not just the fact that somebody stole something from you … a lot of people are scared to death.”

For now Walker, encourages Pocomoke residents to exercise common sense by remaining alert and contacting police anytime suspicious activity is noticed.

“Keep an eye out,” he said. “If you see something out your window, you report it.”