Crime & Safety

Learn More About Virginia-Highland Security Patrol

A Patch series featuring neighborhood watch groups

Ever wondered about the neighborhood watch program in your community?

Learn More About Neighborhood Watch is a Patch series dedicated to providing you all the information you want to know about the security patrol in your neighborhood.

This week, we focus on the patrol in Virginia-Highland.

Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fight Back Against Crime started 21 years ago as a group of business owners on the north side of the neighborhood that wanted to keep the community safe.

It soon evolved into an official neighborhood watch group, and over the last few years, the group expanded to include the south side of Virginia-Highland.

Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patrols are scheduled for the north and south side of the neighborhood separately, but officers respond to calls across the community if there is an emergency.

“We are all in this together,” Fight Back Against Crime organizer Beth Marks said. “If something is happening on the south, and the officer is patrolling the north, the officer is going to go there.”

Off-duty Atlanta Police officers use unmarked patrol cars to patrol the neighborhood.

Name: Fight Back Against Crime (FBAC)

Founded: 21 years ago

Number of patrols per week: Between nine and 10 per week. Each shift is five hours

How it’s funded: Member funded

Cost: Membership is paid in six-month blocks. Single family, $25 per month; Condos can pay in as a group or per household. Individual condos, $20 per month

Number of Members: About 250 homes

Total number of households in Virginia-Highland: Around 2,000 homes

To join or find out more information, visit the Fight Back Against Crime website.

Do you believe neighborhood watch programs are effective? Share your opinion in the comments.

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Editor's Note: The original version of this story failed to list the number of current members. Patch regrets this error.


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