Lack of local law enforcement forces neighborhood watch groups to be proactive

The lack of local law enforcement in the Illinois Valley is becoming more of an issue for people who live there.

Neighborhood watch groups are discussing ways of improving communication between each other.

Fire Chief Dennis Hoke says the number of property crimes are increasing.

In fact, at 3am this morning, a person smashed in the main entry door and the door of the ice cream cake freezer at the Dairy Queen in Cave Junction.

Chief Hoke who is reaching out to leaders of the neighborhood watch groups says they need to have a better way to share information.

“If we have a problem going on in one particular area of the community, well then the other neighborhood watches may not know, and as we’re finding out, a lot of the criminal element is moving back and forth between different areas,” Hoke said.

Several ways of improving that communication include private social media, hand held radio, and phone call chains.

If you’d like to become a part of a neighborhood watch, you can email Chief Hoke at [email protected]