Ward 3 residents form neighborhood watch

By Owen Boss
Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - Just two days after police made an arrest in connection with a series of suspicious fires in the city's third ward last week, Northampton's first neighborhood watch is taking shape.

Nearly 100 residents attended a neighborhood meeting at the World War II Club Wednesday night. Its purpose was to elect block captains, enlist volunteers, and distribute the smoke detectors, exterior lights and emergency beacons donated before the arrest was made.

The meeting, held at the same club police believe the alleged arsonist visited the night of Dec. 26 before setting a fire that claimed the lives of two city residents, allowed members of the Hampshire County Sheriff's Department to explain what a neighborhood watch is, what is required of those who look to join and how it can help protect residents in a given community.

The theme of the night, it seemed, was reminding neighborhood residents that Monday's arrest of Anthony P. Baye, the man police believe to be responsible for at least one of the 15 fires set that night, is no reason for them to stop being vigilant.

"This meeting is just a start; there is no place for complacency," Hampshire County Sheriff Robert Garvey said. "We have to be proactive and aggressive and make sure our neighborhoods are safe, not just from arsons but from any kind of criminal activity."

Also speaking at the meeting was Ward 3 City Councilor Angela Plassmann, who mentioned several lessons she learned during her five years working with the University of Massachusetts Police Department to make Amherst's campus safer for students.

Sheriff's Deputy David Fenton, who has been charged with helping organize the watch, said he was pleased to see so many residents interested in forming a neighborhood watch even after the investigation into the fires led to an arrest.

"Since the arrest I've heard comments like, "Thank goodness I can turn my porch light off" and "Thank goodness I can leave my car unlocked now,'" Fenton said. "This isn't the time to stop doing those things. This is a time to buck up and do things the way they are supposed to be done in order to protect ourselves."

Prior to the meeting, Owen Freeman-Daniels, Ward 3 Neighborhood Association vice president, and neighborhood resident Arnold Levinson divided the ward into 20 sections and called on members of the audience to volunteer to be block captains for each.

"What we are looking for in a captain is someone who has been in the neighborhood for a long time and either knows or can get to know everyone in their part of the ward," Levinson said.

The role of a block captain, Fenton said, is to gather the contact information of all residents in their neck of the woods, understand concerns specific to their portion of the ward, make sure homes are clearly numbered and have proper safety equipment, and to remind people to keep an eye on the street whenever possible.

Ward 3 residents interested in becoming a block captain or community volunteer are encouraged to contact Levinson at 413-320-6982, according to the association's Web site.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com