Superior police seek to launch citizen watch groups citywide

Superior residents interested in “taking a bite out of crime” will soon get their chance.

The Superior Police Department plans to launch Citizen Watch groups throughout the city in September.

Community Policing Officer Bonnie Beste is collecting information from people who are interested in being part of such groups. The groups will be run by community members with the police department serving as a liaison.

“It’s proven the presence of people out there deters crime,” Beste said, and extra pairs of eyes catch things police don’t see. With only one community policing officer, she said, “It takes our citizens to keep it working.”

Businesses are also being tapped to join in the Citizen Watch groups.

It’s been about 10 years since the city had a neighborhood watch program, according to Superior Police Chief Charles LaGesse. He brought up the idea of restarting the program while conducting a series of community meetings focused on a string of arson fires this spring.

Beste said the idea to get citizens’ groups involved in keeping their neighborhoods safe has been circulating for a while prior to that. She hopes to hold a series of meetings in September to launch groups throughout Superior.

Any person or business interested in being part of their neighborhood’s group can contact Beste at (715) 395-7401.

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