One came from South Jackson Street, the other from EastCongress, but the message from the two men from both sides ofBrookhaven was the same: Citizens need to be vigilant in theirefforts to help prevent crime.

“If you haven’t gotten broken into, it might happen tomorrow,”said Dr. Miller Hammill Tuesday evening during a Neighborhood Watchinformational meeting at the First United Methodist Church MinistryCenter.

Hammill, whose South Jackson Street home was burglarized a fewmonths ago, said it will take the combined efforts of citizens andlaw enforcement to combat crime.

“We have got to come together and tell people what’s going on,”Hammill said.

East Congress Street resident Ron Richardson came to Brookhavenfollowing Hurricane Katrina. He speculated that more had happenedto him in the way of thefts and similar activities while inBrookhaven than during his time in the Big Easy.

“I believe Neighborhood Watch will work if everybody willconsider one another,” Richardson said.

And Richardson offered the familiar rebuke when there areconcerns and challenges being faced.

“If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of theproblem,” he said.

Hammill and Richardson’s separate comments elicited applausefrom an estimated audience of more than 150 who came to hear aboutthe community awareness program. Lincoln County Sheriff SteveRushing said it was the largest gathering he had ever spoken toabout Neighborhood Watch.

Hammill, who said a group of South Jackson and South ChurchStreet residents will be meeting next week to begin forming aprogram, said statistics indicate a 20-25 percent drop in crime incommunities that have Neighborhood Watch programs.

“It’s not going to solve it all, but that’s a step in the rightdirection,” Hammill said.

Rushing offered an overview of Neighborhood Watch, its benefitsand how to start programs in communities. He said the benefitsinclude neighbors getting to know one another, assistance to lawenforcement and helping citizens to better know what’s going on intheir areas.

The sheriff said there is no set minimum area for establishing aprogram. He said it can be one block or multiple blocks.

Once a group comes together to define a Neighborhood Watch area,Rushing said officials will come out to meet with the group to helpformally establish the program. He said aspects of the programinclude a block captain for overseeing the program, phone trees forkeeping in touch with neighbors and grants that are available forNeighborhood Watch signage.

Addressing a question from an audience member, Rushing saidNeighborhood Watch participants are not required to ride throughtheir communities or ever confront anyone they consider suspicious.He said participants may call law enforcement and they will respondwith an officer to check out the complaint.

“You don’t have to leave your house to be part of this program,”Rushing said.

While extolling the virtues of Neighborhood Watch, Rushing saidthere is nothing to prevent citizens from calling the police orsheriff’s department if they see something suspicious in theirneighborhoods.

“This doesn’t take the place of that,” Rushing said.

Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson echoed those sentiments.He said authorities are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a weekto respond to citizen concerns.

“You have to get past this (feeling) that you don’t want todisturb us,” Henderson said.

Additional information about Neighborhood Watch and how to forma community program is available by calling the sheriff’sdepartment at 601-833-5231.