More eyes and ears for Rockville Centre police

More than 50 concerned Rockville Centre residents and community leaders gathered Monday night at Village Hall to discuss the implementation of a local Neighborhood Watch program.

After a June beating on Roxen Road in which a resident was seriously injured and which resulted in the arrests of three recent South Side High School graduates, hundreds called on Mayor Francis Murray to address what was seen as a rising trend of violence in the village. One of the initiatives announced by the mayor was the formation of a Neighborhood Watch in cooperation with the Rockville Centre Police Department.

Police Commissioner Charles Gennario opened the first meeting of the watch by explaining its purpose and expressing pleasure at the high turnout.

Though a majority of the residents who attended the meeting seemed satisfied with the program, a few voiced unease over a perceived lack of control over the teenagers in the village.

“I know there is concern with kids drinking and with kids roaming the streets in this village,” Gennario said. “I’m well aware of it. We’re trying to get more parents involved because we really need their assistance in the matter. But I want this program … to deal with the other challenges we have in the village.”

Gennario explained that, while the village isn’t currently experiencing a rash of burglaries like other communities in Nassau County, it could be a prime target because it is relatively affluent.

A major goal of the Neighborhood Watch program, said Lt. Chris Romance, is to increase involvement and to train members to be more observant. Romance will act as the police liaison to the watch.

Nassau County Police Department Officer Sharon Galvin, director of the department’s community affairs, gave a PowerPoint presentation that explained the way a Neighborhood Watch is organized, described suspicious behavior to look for and gave listeners tips on when to call the police or a block captain.

The watch program will be organized by blocks, with each block having a captain who will be the liaison with the program coordinator.