West side mobile watch patrol
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The West Side Mobile Watch Patrol officially kicked things off Friday.
First Ward City Commissioners Walt Gutowski and Dave Shaffer along with the President of the West Leonard Business Association Johnny Brann Jr., were the first to start patrolling along the West Grand Organizational boundaries at 9 o'clock Friday night.
The program runs out of the West Grand Neighborhood Organization and each patrol volunteer will be the eyes and ears for the Grand Rapids Police Department. A criminal background check is done for each patrol member and they receive training with a certified Crime Prevention Organizer. Patrol members also take a tour of the Grand Rapids Police Department Dispatch Center.
The Watch Patrol will run two night during the week through summer. The shifts run between 9:00p.m. and 3:00a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The boundaries are Bridge Street to the south, Bristol Avenue to the west, city limits to the north and the Grand River to the east. So far, 12 patrol volunteers have been trained.
