THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608090191
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 67 lines
In a variation of the adage that it takes a village to raise a child, the Wingfield Pointe neighborhood in Deep Creek embraces the notion that it takes a community to keep its residents safe.
They've succeeded in making that idea work, and they're proud of it.
``Last year, we had zero crime incidents in our neighborhood, and so far this year we've had zero crime,'' said Sarah L. Malloy, head of the Wingfield Point Crime Watch Committee and a nursing care partner at the Sentara Norfolk General Hospital radiation/oncology department.
She said the relatively new community organization won a 1995 recognition from the Chesapeake Crime Prevention Council for having the lowest number of crime incidents in the city.
``We're proud or our community,'' Malloy said. ``We watch out for each other. We even watch out for the new buildings coming up in the neighborhood. And we notice any strange parked cars. If they are there 24 hours, we call the police and have them towed away.''
When a new family moves into a new neighborhood, most are greeted by a welcome wagon. In Wingfield Pointe, they're greeted by Malloy, who immediately recruits the newcomers in the Community Watch program and schedules public safety police officers to visit each new home to make sure the household is as safe and secure as it can be.
``We have over 40 households right now in the community and all participate in our neighborhood watch,'' she said. ``We're 100 percent successful. That really shocked me.''
An interloper once trespassed into the community to help himself to items in a neighbor's garage, she said. He's now behind bars.
``The family was in their back yard pool while this man went in to their garage to take whatever he could find,'' Malloy said. ``But he was observed by our watch. They called the police and he was caught, arrested and is now in jail.''
When the community was merely a few houses with no street lights or paved roads, Malloy, with the help of valued assistant Delores Wicks, was there to begin the community watch program. She said she met with Chesapeake Police Officer Debbie Jones to help set it up.
Now two families are assigned each month to attend citywide crime prevention meetings. Those families then return to the community to disseminate information gathered at the meetings. Malloy said the system works, gets everybody involved and is an effective way for the neighborhood to learn about new trends, ideas, safety tips and events.
In keeping in step with the city's neighborhood crime prevention programs, the Wingfield Pointe group finally participated in its first National Night Out observance Tuesday night.
Malloy said the neighborhood worked together to organize a community picnic, which was held at the end of Bluewing Court. The event was set up to celebrate the successful Community Watch program, to announce a new project and to honor Holmes.
A food tent was rented, neighbors were given food/beverage assignments, card tables with fancy tablecloths were set up in the middle of the street and every home's porch light was turned on.
``We set up a huge grill and enjoyed a lot of good food,'' Malloy said. ``Everybody had a good time.''
Certificates were handed out to two households designated as McGruff Safe Houses, and Holmes was recognized for her work with Malloy and Wicks.
``We recognized Officer Holmes for all the work she has done for us and for being so patient with us,'' Malloy said. ``Night Out was also attended by Capt. Edward White and Capt. William T. Ward from Chesapeake Police headquarters, and we received a visit from McGruff the Crime Dog.''
``It's just a matter of neighbors looking out for each other,'' Malloy said. ``Our community may be young, but we make it work and we keep it safe.'' by CNB