CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A friendly competition between five south Charlotte neighborhoods has neighbors changing their behavior and taking part in reducing crime more than ever before.
"You just feel safer," Old Salem resident James Watson said. "You feel like everyone's being a little more vigilant as far as the neighborhood."
Homeowners in Old Salem, Quail Hollow Estates, Montibello, Huntingtown Farms and Park Crossing are trying to see who can reduce crime the most.
Police came up with the idea and started the competition two months ago. Watson told Channel 9 his behavior is already changing. He locks his doors and keeps his garage door shut, he said.
Police are acting as judges, going over checklists on weekly visits to random homes. Things like leaving garage doors open are counted as bad, while things like calling 911 about a suspicious person are counted as good.
Ike Tate said recently, there's much more willingness by neighbors to play a part in their own safety.
"I'm always looking to see if I see a car I don't recognize (or) somebody walking I don't recognize," Tate said. "I have no problem dialing 911."
Channel 9 asked police if they have any hard numbers to show if crime is going down as the result of the competition. They said they hope to have those statistics compiled at the end of the month.
They think the program is working so well that they're already talking about ways to tweak it and expand it to other neighborhoods around town.