Letters to the Editor

Editor:

One citizen at our Town Meeting suggested volunteerism as an alternative to taxpayer-funded increases in local law enforcement activities. As a fire-rescue volunteer, the results of crime that I see too often in Gray are drug overdoses, assaults and crashes from illegal speeding or drunkenness.

These examples, together with property crimes, are not commonly published in newspapers and are invisible to many residents. But how can volunteers help? Perhaps they cannot provide direct law enforcement but certainly they could help to prevent crime and keep us from slipping fearfully into the criminal atmosphere of larger neighboring towns.

One long-standing program of the Citizen Corps is called Neighborhood Watch. It trains and organizes citizens to patrol the businesses and neighborhoods of their community and then report suspicious activities to the Sheriff for action.

If you think this would be a beneficial program for keeping crime in Gray under control, and is a good alternative to increased taxes, I'll be happy to help you get started.

Meanwhile, the next local Citizen Corps program will be a family-friendly Bicycle Safety class outside Stimson Hall at 10m on Saturday June 26th.

Mark D. Grover,
Executive Director
Gray Region Citizen Corps
428-3372