What Is NECOP?

The NorthEast Citizens on Patrol is a 600+ member volunteer group committed to helping reduce crime in the neighborhood.  Organized last year, the Patrol is a partnership between HARBEL Community Organization, the umbrella group representing 25 community associations, and Baltimore City’s Northeast District Police.

The Patrol grew out of citizens’ deep frustration about escalating nuisance, quality-of-life crimes, and their seeming inability in reducing it.  With leadership from then-Major now Hagerstown Police chief Art Smith and Major Michael Hilliard on the law enforcement side, and Naomi Benyowitz, HARBEL’s Executive Director, the Patrol recruited members and rolled out for the first time in January 2000.  The Patrol continues to enjoy the enthusiastic support of the current Northeast District Commander.

  A command car for the Patrol’s use was donated by the Al Packer Ford Enterprises.  Funds to erect a communications tower as well as illuminated rooftop signs which identify each car on patrol were also donated by Packer Enterprises.  The Police Dept. donated two-way radios when they upgraded their equipment  to a different frequency.

The Patrol goes out from 7:30-10:30 pm on assigned routes and reports any concerns directly to the police in the command via the two-way radio.  There is no need to call 911.  Response is instant.  In addition to an officer in the command car, there is a “chase” police vehicle on patrol as well to respond to emergencies.  This allows the Patrol car to remain on the street during the entire shift.

Numerous arrests have been made thanks to the diligence of Patrol volunteers.  In addition to drunk drivers, the Patrol has flagged an illegal dirt biker resulting in confiscation of the vehicle.  Many suspicious activities have been reported to the command car during the evening, and field interrogation has either resulted in arrest or breakup of the gathering.  It is proving to be an effective method of bringing stability to  the neighborhoods and increasing communal participation in activities.

HARBEL Community Organization, Inc. has been serving the communities along Belair Road and Harford Road for over 30 years.  HARBEL’s boundaries extend from the Beltway on the North to Erdman Avenue on the South, and from Perring Parkway on the West to Pulaski Highway on the East.  It is a huge area, encompassing approximately 100,000 residents over some 10 square miles.  HARBEL operates a state certified outpatient substance/alcohol abuse program, a housing partnership promoting home ownership, and a community relations program.

Beginning in the summer of 1999, it became obvious that crime in the communities was increasing to the point where residents were hesitant to go about their normal daily and communal activities.  These weren’t major crimes; those crimes were being dealt with by the police satisfactorily.  Indeed, it was the everyday nuisance crimes, the quality-of-life petty crimes that were driving residents to frustration and had forced many people to simply leave the area.

  Together with the commander of the Northeast District Police, HARBEL founded the NorthEast Citizens on Patrol in an effort to address this issue.  The organization and planning, and funding of the effort took place over the next several months.  The Al Packer Enterprises on Belair Road donated a car to be used as a command car.  They also donated sufficient funds to get the Patrol up and running.  Their funds were used primarily to erect a communications tower, buy illuminated rooftop identification signs, and re-program radios.  (More signs are needed and the second batch of radios awaits funding to be re-programmed.) The radios are used to keep the police in the command car in constant and instant communication with each other.  The Patrol was ready to roll out into the community for the first time in January 2000.

Now in its 16^th month of operation, the Patrol has grown from an initial sign-up of 200 volunteers, to over 600 today.  It continues to grow.  It has grown from 15 community associations under the HARBEL umbrella, to some 25 and goes beyond HARBEL’s borders.  The goal is to one day in the not too distant future, encompass the entire Northeastern District, thereby stretching as far West as York Road and as far South as 25^th Street.  The NorthEast Citizens on Patrol will be by far the largest in the state.

To enable the Patrol to reach this goal, funds are needed to promote the work and effort of the many volunteers who give unselfishly of their time.  Brochures and other promotional material needs to be developed.  A computer data base needs to be established to coordinate the schedule of all the volunteers and their shift.  Ideally, a person should be hired with sole responsibility for the Patrol’s operation, but that is still in the future.  For the time being, HARBEL will continue its coordination role.

Much of the funding to get the Patrol going was generously donated by the business community.  They saw right from the beginning the value of helping to stablilize the very neighborhoods where they do business.  The residential community has donated thousands of hours doing the actual patrolling.  The political leadership supports the effort.  All six City Council representatives from the 1^st and 3^rd district as well as the City Council president are members of the Patrol.  The police continue to be enthusiastically supportive.  Private foundation funding has also helped.  Continued funding is crucial so the momentum, now solidly established, does not waver.