A neighborhood group now has two sedans to patrol and assist the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Richard Roundtree presented white Impalas labelled “Citizens on Patrol” and touted the success Tuesday of the Summerville Neighborhood Association’s COP program, which is coordinated by neighborhood activist David Dunagan.
“We know our neighborhoods and live and work in them, and know when something seems unusual,” Dunagan said.
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Roundtree, who’s in a heated June 18 Democratic primary runoff with Eugene Brantley, said participants patrol their own neighborhoods and “observe and report” what they see to law enforcement.
Participants must complete the sheriff’s citizen police academy, a 12-week training program, and be part of a neighborhood association, Roundtree said.
The sheriff’s office presented a citation to Dunagan and others last month for their assistance in locating two juveniles suspected of crimes, he said.
Roundtree said other neighborhood associations interested in forming their own COP program should contact the sheriff’s community services division.
The Summerville program extends beyond the boundaries of the Summerville Historic District. It includes Forest Hills and the area roughly along Walton Way between the Partridge Inn and First Baptist Church, according to Dunagan.
Of primary concern to residents are petty thefts and speeding, Dunagan said.
The Daniel Village substation of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office predates the newer name of the agency. It has operated since 1996 and at one point housed nearly half the sheriff’s office road patrol force.
