Neighborhood Watch
"We’re the eyes and ears of the community"

ALTAMONT — A dozen village residents schlepped through Saturday morning’s drizzle to meet with officials at Village Hall about starting a Neighborhood Watch in Altamont.
"It’s a neighbor to neighbor association," said Norman Bauman, a three year resident of the village who moved from Schenectady and is leading the charge for the program. He said that it’s not so much about stopping crime as bringing the community together.
"It’s a safe area," he said.
"I don’t see it as a response to crime," said Altamont’s mayor, James Gaughan, of the program. It is an extension of the Watching Out for One Another brochure that the village board circulated in February, he said.
"This isn’t anything that popped out of the sky," Gaughan told The Enterprise.
Some village residents are concerned about their welfare, though, said Altamont’s public safety commissioner, Anthony Salerno. While he wouldn’t say whether or not there had been a rise in the crime rate in Altamont, he said that there is a trend in crime moving out of cities. "There’s a pattern which our college professors have proven," said Salerno.
"We have a situation with juveniles that we’re worried about," Salerno said of Altamont at Saturday’s meeting. When asked about the situation later, he said, "It’s like watching one another," referencing the brochure. "If it’s not juveniles, it’s the elderly. If it’s not the elderly, it’s the adults," said Salerno.

Better emergency response, in the event of a natural disaster or personal injury, was cited by both Bauman and Gaughan as one of the most beneficial aspects of the neighborhood watch program.

The Altamont program is based on guidelines from the Attorney General’s office, which outlines six benefits of Neighborhood Watch: Deterring criminal activity; creating a greater sense of security and reducing fear of crime; building bonds with neighbors; reducing the risk of becoming a crime victim; instructing residents on how to observe and report suspicious behavior; addressing quality-of-life issues; enhancing homeland security; and working collaboratively with other civic activities.

Block captains are being sought for the village; each one is to oversee between eight and 10 houses facing each other. Captains will be given badges by the police department.
"We’re the eyes and ears of this community when the young people go off to work," said Bauman.