Neighborhood Watch Makes Recruitment Push

Calling all neighbors: The Manhattan Beach Police Department and Neighborhood Watch have been working together all summer long in an effort to recruit more volunteers to participate in the NW program. This is their final push of the season.

Any current area coordinators, block captains or residents who live within the boundaries of Areas 8 and 11 (see attached map) are invited to come down on Thursday as NW continues its volunteer recruitment and revitalization of the program. This is the final meeting of the summer series, however, so although the focus is on Areas 8 and 11, all Manhattan Beach residents are invited to attend.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Watch has worked to involve the community in crime prevention, home/personal safety education and looking out for one's neighbors.

"Neighborhood Watch is people," said Executive Director Charlotte Lesser, who is the founder of the program and still volunteers. Currently, there are hundreds of volunteers in the city who are the "eyes and ears" of the Manhattan Beach community. However, there are numerous streets that are not represented and those residents are not receiving important crime and safety information, say program organizers.

Residents who have an interest in volunteering for their street (block) are invited to attend this community meeting to learn more about the program and their potential role in it.

"MBPD encourages our residents to participate in making our community safer than it already is" said Crime Prevention Officer Stephanie Martin. "We depend on neighbors being knowing, not nosy."

To RSVP or for more information, call MB Neighborhood Watch at 310-802-5183 or 310-802-5184.