Dennis and Gloria Logan have lived in Hillcrest, a Southeast Washington neighborhood, since 1965. In the mid-1980s they started the community’s neighborhood watch program, which they ran for more than 20 years before stepping aside to let fresh blood take the reins in the form of retired District police officer David Kirkpatrick.
What inspired you to start a neighborhood watch?
Dennis: I retired in the mid-1980s from being deputy chief of the District’s fire department. It was a job where I was always looking after the welfare of people and recognized the importance of keeping people safe. I wanted to continue to be in a position to protect people and help them live decent lives.
The Hillcrest neighborhood watch now involves hundreds of people and has expanded beyond the community’s traditional borders. How were you so successful?
Dennis: It was about building connections among people. The key is getting other people involved.
Gloria: It started with National Night Out. We brought our neighbors together on our front lawn, and we talked about our community. Eventually it grew into the Hillcrest Civic Association. … We had experienced white flight in the 1960s … so we had to re-create [neighborhood] groups. We didn’t look at differences between people. We reached out to everyone, and that’s what it takes to build a healthy community.
Do any moments stand out in your mind?
Dennis: A neighbor once called telling me that he could see someone breaking into a house on our block. I called a police sergeant I had developed a relationship with, and he came over and caught the burglar. It was a great example of how working with police can get things done.
Close connections between police and communities is something the police department is always trying to foster. Was it difficult for you to build those connections?
Dennis: Our neighborhood is constantly changing. People move in and it takes them a while to get in sync with the community. Eventually they do and they realize working with the police keeps them safer, but it takes a lot of time, and you have to keep on working with them.
Tips for starting a neighborhood watch:
1) Identify blocks or apartments that residents want to recruit into the program.
2) The watch group should include 25 percent of homes within each chosen block or building.
3) Hold an organizing meeting and extend invitations to local police and community leaders.
4) Develop a phone tree and keep local police contact information handy.
