Kent County Crime Watch group back on duty

Following pause during pandemic, citizens resume meetings

By Craig Anderson
Posted 9/16/21

DOVER — Late last month, about 45 people gathered for the first Kent County Crime Watch of Delaware meeting since the pandemic arrived in March 2020.

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Kent County Crime Watch group back on duty

Following pause during pandemic, citizens resume meetings

Posted

DOVER — Late last month, about 45 people gathered for the first Kent County Crime Watch of Delaware meeting since the pandemic arrived in March 2020.

Attendance will only grow as crimes do in the 120 or so communities involved in the organization. Before COVID-19, 75 or more participants showed up for meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month.

“(The August meeting) went well,” KCCWD board member Roger Hollopeter said. “We were trying to catch up after a year-and-a-half hiatus.”

As the group resumed gathering, members heard from representatives of Delaware State Police troops 3 and 9, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Kent County Levy Court, which hosted the event.

DSP advised the attendees of muffler thefts — which yield precious metals — and urged keeping a close eye on vehicles and to lock them. Troopers recommended that residents keep garage doors closed, as well.

According to the organization’s president Ricky Maddox, KCCWD’s purpose is based on the mission to “watch, listen, report.”

Also, he said, “Even if you don’t think it’s much, report it anyway because police can make reports themselves. Once they see a lot of reports from a certain area, they can start patrolling it more, monitoring the area more.”

Mr. Hollopeter said he believes that vigilance “stops a lot of things from happening, knowing that you may be watched.”

“It’s a neighborhood looking out for one another,” he said.

He added that KCCWD was able to provide bags with reflective vests, keychains, T-shirts, Post-it notes and more through a grant received by Kent County Levy Court.

The next general membership meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at Kent County Levy Court’s Administrative Building.

For more information on KCCWD, contact Mr. Hollopeter at 242-9670 or Mr. Maddox at 423-2668. Information is also available on KCCWD’s Facebook page.

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