Beatrice Police start Community Watch group to get ‘thousands more eyes’ on crime

BEATRICE, Neb. (KLKN) – The Beatrice Police Department is launching a Community Watch program to help people take an active role in preventing crime.

It aims to connect officers with citizens to keep an eye on suspicious activity before crime happens.

“With the community’s help, we have thousands more eyes out there that see stuff that goes on in the community that we might not see,” Officer Courtney Brauch said. “So with that help, we can solve crimes, have a more proactive approach to policing and make Beatrice just a safer place to be.”

Neighbors who join the community watch will receive training on how to spot and report suspicious activity.

Brauch said when communities stay engaged, crime could go down.

“Sometimes it’s hard to solve crimes like vandalism, theft” she said. “Because those are crimes that usually happen at night and usually don’t get seen.”

Brauch said another big community complaint is speeding during school hours.

Police said this program is all about awareness and communication, not confrontation.

If you’re skeptical about if a program like this can work, Brauch said you should attend anyway.

“You don’t know until you try,” Brauch said. “Be a voice for the community. If you’re skeptical, you know, share your skepticism, share your voice.”

She encourages you to come to a meeting on April 8 to learn how you can help.

“Our goal is all the same,” Brauch said. “We all want to make Beatrice safe, a safe environment. And if we can work together, then we will achieve that goal.”