Residents of SVR will work with the Sheriff’s Office to start community watch program.
A neighborhood watch program is in its beginning stages at Star Valley Ranch this week. On Saturday, as part of the emergency preparedness fair, residents could sign up to participate in the neighborhood watch program.
“What I would like to see happen with the program is neighbors meeting with neighbors and getting to know each other,” said Sheriff Shane Johnson. “Neighbors can exchange information and help each other watch over personal property when someone is out of town.”

According to Sheriff Johnson, neighborhood watch programs have proven to be successful organizations across the United States. He is hopeful that each community in Star Valley will work with the Sheriff’s Office to set up programs.

“Neighborhood watch can be as involved or as simple as the people involved want it to be,” said the Sheriff. “We are planning to have a community meeting in October with the people who have signed up to participate with the Star Valley Ranch Neighborhood Watch program. At that time we will sit down and discuss what the community members would like to see with their neighborhood watch program.”

Sheriff Johnson would like to hold regular neighborhood watch program meetings in the future. At the meetings a deputy, assigned to be the neighborhood watch liaison between the Sheriff’s Office at the community, will meet with community members. The program will give the Sheriff’s Office “more eyes” on what is happening in the community.

In addition to attending regular meetings with a Sheriff’s deputy, the role of the community watch program will be for neighbors to report any suspicious activity going on in their neighborhood to the Sheriff’s Office.

“I would like to see the same deputy assigned as the neighborhood watch liaison because I believe that consistency is good,” said Sheriff Johnson.

Once the neighborhood watch program is established and running in Star Valley Ranch, the Sheriff’s Office will work to set up similar programs throughout the rest of Lincoln County.

“The Star Valley Ranch program is sort of a pilot program to see if there is community interest in getting a neighborhood watch program going,” said Johnson.

If you are interested in being a part of a neighborhood watch program, contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 885-5231.