At a Bethel Island Area Emergency Preparedness Committee meeting in December, chaired by Sheila Goodson, Bob Gromm reminded the committee that a few years ago, Bethel Island boasted a Neighborhood Watch program.

Triple "C" REACT, the radio team on the Island, had made it possible for all block captains in the Neighborhood Watch program to have CB radios in use when on patrol. (This was before cell phones were the rage.)

Gromm's reminder ignited a discussion of the possibility of restarting the program. This time around, Dutch Slough Road and Sandmound Boulevard would be added to the Neighborhood Watch program.

The program enlists property owners to form groups in their neighborhood and name a block captain as their leader. The block captain appoints property owners to watch the neighborhood, and then patrols his area and collects information from the watchers in his group about suspicious activities.

Director Goodson said that Pat Pava, with the county OES, will be contacted. To be successful, Neighborhood Watch programs need the backing of the county. Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to call 684-2117.

- Contributed by Bob Gromm