Neighborhood watches: Helping fight crime in their own way

Meridian, Miss. - Crime is on the rise in Meridian and Lauderdale County, but there is a group of individuals, that are doing what they can to keep it down in your community.

“Community Watch is an organization that was set up in 2013. Sort of for, social media, in order to inform the public, or for the public to inform others, about suspicious activity being in the criminal nature," administrator Sidney Covington.​​

This is how community watch works, once you see or report something suspicious on the facebook page, members of the community will quickly take action, to help solve the crime.

“It’s set up as a secret group, facebook did that." She says, "And it’s hard to find. Another member has to put you up. If someone sees’s something suspicious in their neighborhood, they will post that. We have 3 administrators who watch it very carefully, and make sure that the correct information is put on there and it’s also been very successful in helping to solve some of the activity that’s been taking place in and around this area.”​​

This is how community watch works, once you see or report something suspicious on the facebook page, members of the community will quickly take action, to help solve the crime.“It’s set up as a secret group, facebook did that." She says, "And it’s hard to find. Another member has to put you up. If someone sees’s something suspicious in their neighborhood, they will post that. We have 3 administrators who watch it very carefully, and make sure that the correct information is put on there and it’s also been very successful in helping to solve some of the activity that’s been taking place in and around this area.”​​

The helpful organization is not just watching crime in your neighborhood, it’s also, a global effort.

“The community watch is active anywhere the internet goes. We have people all over the United States who have ties to Meridian who watch it, who post, who ask questions, who message us. But primarily those who contribute are residents of East Mississippi and West Alabama." Covington said.