When Donnell Williams returned from overseas in 2000 after serving more than two decades with the CIA, he wanted to find out what it meant to live in an American community. So he jumped at the chance to get involved with the Four Seasons Neighborhood Watch program in Herndon, and nine years later he’s a block captain. The group of about 12 active members covers the approximately 500 homes in Four Seasons.
How does the neighborhood watch program operate?
I’m a block captain and assigned to an area to patrol. We can walk or drive our routes as frequently as we’d like. I happen to walk my two-mile route frequently because I have a husky that requires a lot of exercise, and with my stomach the way it is, I need a lot of exercise, too.
Have you confronted any issues while on patrol?
Just this winter I noticed an abandoned house with open windows in the freezing cold. I called the Herndon police, and they were there within two minutes. … With so many foreclosures in the area we keep a close eye on houses that people might break into to either live in or steal the copper plumbing. We also often report strangers and people who look suspicious. … We also call in any graffiti we find so we can help suppress gang activity.
Does the program work?
Over the last few years we’ve been one of the safest neighborhoods in Herndon, and I think that’s because we have the strongest neighborhood watch program. … I spent my life fighting crime internationally, and it’s interesting to get involved with fighting it at home.
