Neighborhood Watch

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 The Indian River County’s Sherriff’s office suggested to our Safety and Security Committee that our community become a Neighborhood Watch Community. In 2018 , the BOD acted to formalize our participation. We here at Garden Grove have enjoyed a relatively low crime incident history, and we want our residents to continue to feel as safe as possible so becoming a Neighborhood Watch Community and participating in our county Sheriff’s “See Something, Say Something” campaign will further our active relationship with our sheriff’s services.

We all know that law enforcement cannot be everywhere and a community organized to actively keep their eyes and ears open and reporting suspicious people, vehicles, and activities will help assure a continued sense of security and safety.

We have placed the Neighborhood Watch sign outside the front gate as a deterrent. D/Sheriff Ogonoski suggested that we select a leader, hold meetings  to share concerns, develop a plan for concerns raised , appoint Block Captains, etc.

We had an incident last year where a couple of off-site criminals entered the property and searched through residents’  unlocked cars and stole easily accessible items, change, purse, etc.  Within  the two previous months, several residents had early morning door bells rung but no one called the sheriff’s office to report it.  This was probably the thieves seeing what our response to early morning incursion would result in.  The morning of the incident, one of our residents actually saw the thieves walking around about 5:00 AM and didn’t report anything until the deputies were on-site taking statements…..WE MUST BE MORE ACTIVE IF WE EXPECT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE AS SECURE AS WE WANT IT TO BE…..IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, CALL 911. 

 Also, always be prudent and lock your doors.