Police are turning to our four-legged friends to help their crime-fighting efforts.
Paws on Patrol is a new initiative you can participate in while walking your dog, or just out in the neighborhood.
“We thought it would be a great way to involve people who are already out and about in their community doing something they do everyday. Just to teach them to be more aware and observant of their surroundings and any suspicious activity,” said Julie Smith, a crime prevention specialist for the Naperville Police Department.
Smith shared several statistics at the kickoff meeting to launch the program, including that a burglary occurs in Naperville every three days, many of which are residential.
The best way to prevent crime from happening in your neighborhood is to stay alert and report suspicious behavior to the police.
“We want people to be observant of their surroundings or any people or any vehicles that may be in their area,” said Smith. “Anything that might look or feel suspicious, to really trust their instincts. If something doesn’t look or feel right, it’s probably not.”
Smith told the crowd not to be afraid to call 9-1-1 if they see something out of the ordinary.
“And remember, people aren’t suspicious but behavior is,” said Smith.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
