By Debbie Adams
According to the National Neighborhood Watch program, (a division of the National Sheriff’s
Association), a neighborhood watch is a group of people living in the same area who want to
empower citizens to make their neighborhood safer by working together, and in conjunction with
local law enforcement, to reduce crime and improve their quality of life.
The Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Watch in Roanoke County is one of the most active groups
of its kind in the area. The organization has put its focus on “neighborhood” and “community”
and local needs. They are using their meetings to make their voices heard, to sometimes vent,
and to bring in government officials and others who can answer questions and respond to
concerns and needs. One attendee said the Neighborhood Watch program “gives us a platform
when we feel we have no one listening to us.”
“They are a great group of people, very intent on taking care of each other,” said Tammy
Shepherd who represents the Vinton Magisterial District, which includes Mount Pleasant, on the
Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. “I have grown to love that community.”
Chad Clark, who grew up in Mount Pleasant, does not want to take credit for leadership of the
organization, but he has certainly been instrumental as one of its main facilitators over the past
year. He maintains their highly informative Facebook page, sends out notices for the monthly
meetings, stays in touch with the Roanoke County police liaisons for Neighborhood Watch, and
brings in speakers on topics of interest, outside of crime and law enforcement.
The Roanoke County Police Dept. sums up the purpose of Neighborhood Watch groups as
simply building a relationship between citizens, the Roanoke County Police Dept., and the
Roanoke County Sheriff”s Office. The Mount Pleasant group meets on the second Thursday of
each month at 7 p.m. at the Mount Pleasant Fire Dept. for about an hour.
During the programs, crime statistics and incidents are shared for their area by Roanoke County
Police Officer C.M. Forehand, Crime Prevention Coordinator. Citizens learn about problems
prevalent in Roanoke County and they are asked by law enforcement what they are seeing in
their neighborhoods to prioritize as areas of concern.
The meetings give citizens the opportunity to meet their neighbors and get to know the different
agencies within Roanoke County to see how all the pieces fit together.
Theirs is a free program; there are no dues. You do not have to be a Roanoke County resident to
attend. The Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Watch group, in particular, is not only active, but
growing quickly. Most who attend have been part of the community for years, some for their
whole lives, but there are newcomers as well.
To open the June 13 meeting (which had an attendance of about 40), Officer Forehand first
covered three recent crimes involving an assault, a drug overdose which resulted in a fatality,
and the theft of a moped. The group discussed not only the crimes, but, in some instances, ways
they could have been prevented (for instance, anti-theft devices).
“We need the public to be vigilant,” Forehand said.
Clark said that his involvement with the Neighborhood Watch program began last year when he
and his neighbor were the victims of crimes, in “broad daylight.” He attended the Neighborhood
Watch meeting and found five people there and decided, “this has to change.”
“If you see suspicious and or criminal activity, call the police,” Clark commented. “Doing
nothing hurts our community. I’ve learned a lot over the last year (and am still learning) from
talking with Officer Benton, and now Officer Forehand, about how RCPD is a Data Driven
Department– in a nutshell, due to staffing, if they aren’t getting calls, then that area is not getting
patrols as frequently, so we have to do our part and look after one another and when we see
something we need to report it ASAP.”
He believes that crime prevention is more successful when “the whole community works
together and gets connected once again” as in the past.
Following Officer Forehand, the watch group turned the floor over to Roanoke County staff
members who were there to explain the East Roanoke River Greenway construction project
between Highland Road and Explore Park, which resulted in temporary road closures and
narrowing a stretch of roadway. Residents in the area had received mailings from the county
concerning the greenway project. Message boards had been placed along the streets to make
citizens aware of the changes along with information on social media, local media, and Roanoke
County websites, but the watch group still had questions and wanted clarifications– and from
someone in person.
The next meeting on July 11 again started out with a briefing from Officer Forehand, who shared
crime data for the previous month, including the pursuit of a vehicle by police from neighboring
Franklin County into Roanoke County; an auto theft and larceny from a vehicle; and a moped
crash with a witness to the accident charged with identity theft for presenting a false ID.
The 22 attendees also brought up topics such as an individual purposely placing glass on the
roadway over and over again, another vehicle repeatedly speeding on a dangerously curvy road,
and habitual criminals.
The Neighborhood Watch Facebook page generally makes the community aware of traffic
issues, missing pets, trees in the road, power outages, Internet outages, detours, drag racing on
the streets, crashes, black bears in the area, a lost tailgate, and even an individual wandering on a
roadway who seemed to have dementia. All are examples of neighbors looking after neighbors
and not feeling isolated.
At the July meeting, after the crime statistics were presented, the topic of community
involvement and interest involved an opportunity for the Neighborhood Watch group to help
needy children in the Mount Pleasant area get proper nutrition.
Jenny Basham from Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church had been invited to speak to the
group about reinstating a food distribution program for children who attended Mount Pleasant
Elementary– a weekend backpack program which had been discontinued during COVID. One
suggestion was to use the monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting as a drop-off point for people
attending the meetings to donate food for children.
The Backpack Program at Mount Pleasant Elementary had been a community tradition for many
years. Basham described how the program worked in the past and said the community wants to
restart it. MPE Principal Jill Lane is able to provide a room at the school for storing the donated
food. The Mount Pleasant Lions have offered to assist, along with Mount Pleasant Baptist,
Rockingham Court, and others.
There was a discussion of logistics– where to purchase large quantities of food; how many
volunteers are needed; how the food needs to be packaged for the trip home without
embarrassing children; how to respect confidentiality; even whether a family might own a can
opener; how to publicize specific foods needed (perhaps on the Neighborhood Watch Facebook
page); and how many children could be served (20-40 in past years).
“I feel this a great opportunity to help people; it’s 2024, but it still takes a village to raise a
child,” Clark said. “This is a unique opportunity to use the watch group as a platform.”
“I was originally invited to the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Watch group when I was
appointed to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors,” Tammy Shepherd said. “I immediately
felt that Mount Pleasant was more of a family than a community. After the initial meeting that I
attended, I was drawn back each month; they are so appreciative for everything you do for them.
I plan to continue to go to their meetings each month and can hopefully be a member of their
family.
“I would love to see this platform continue to grow throughout the county. It is so much more
than a Neighborhood Watch. I am presently working to set up a group for the Vinton and
Bonsack area that is similar in style. We can learn a lot from the Mount Pleasant model.”
