Since taking over the Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), Sheriff Rodney Wright has made strides in growing the number of Neighborhood Watch groups. He firmly believes that the outreach into communities has had a positive impact on the reduction of crime in areas throughout the county. Neighborhood Wa...tch is a cornerstone of the SCSO’s crime prevention strategy. It enlists the active participation of residents, in cooperation with law enforcement, to reduce crime in communities throughout Saline County.
On March 26, 2016, residents in the Sardis Community met with Chief Deputy Jay Fitzpatrick and Lieutenant Jeffrey Silk to discuss starting a Neighborhood Crime Watch. Residents talked about problems they have seen in their community and asked for advice on how to address those issues. Some of the topics discussed were speeders in the area, suspicious activity at certain residences, registered sex offenders in Saline County and recent thefts in East End.
Lt. Silk praised the community residents for moving forward, providing information to the SCSO and taking steps to build a bridge between the community and law enforcement. Chief Deputy Fitzpatrick stated, “Neighborhood Watch Programs are one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear in neighborhoods. It forges bonds among area residents and businesses, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve.” Sheriff Wright’s goal is to educate community residents regarding their roles and responsibilities in the prevention of crime and to encourage them to take active measures to prevent crime.
The meeting at the Sardis Community Center was attended by several neighbors and Mr. John Cohen, the coordinator for the Neighborhood Watch, plans on having a follow-up gathering. When a date, time and location is set for that meeting, the SCSO will advertise on their website and Facebook page in far in advance.


