News

 

With money from the Community Development Grant, Police Chief Joe Martin started sweeps in neighborhoods of the city that experience a high number of problems. They include 13th to 19th Streets as well as Market, Avery, Spring, Covert, Lynn and Latrobe Streets.

 

Parkersburg Police Sergeant Greg Collins says the community will play a large part in the success of the "proactive policing."

 

"We do care. We want to know what's going on," Sgt. Collins says. "We need to know what's going on. Our position is that we will not be successful unless the community is telling us what their problems are, what kind of problems they are experiencing and how we can help."

 

Sgt. Collins adds that the program is meant to send a message.

 

"This is getting out in the community and finding out who is doing what. Finding out what houses are doing some sort of criminal activity," Sgt. Collins explains. "Making contact with people you are not familiar with, that are from out of town, that could be causing problems. Basically, having a conversation with out citizens and seeing what problems are you having and how can we help you fix what's going on here."

 

Police plan to carry out the sweeps well into 2012.