FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — While electronic eyes may be watching more neighborhoods than ever, some residents say the most powerful eyes are the ones that have been watching the community for decades.
For Barbara Horn, knowing the streets of Central Fresno means more than simply knowing the roads. It means knowing the people who live there, and paying attention when something doesn’t look right.
“You know, and these are dedicated people. They really care,” Horns said.
That belief helped inspire Horns to launch a neighborhood watch. What started with just 17 people quickly grew to about 70 residents.
For Horn, the growth was about more than having additional eyes on the neighborhood. It gave neighbors an opportunity to connect with people they may have never spoken to before.
“It was really great to see people come together,” she said. “It was so nice because then you see people, you know, neighbors talking to each other, the ones they’ve never talked to.”
The group has also become a way for residents to address problems in their community. Horns works with city council members and code enforcement to help neighbors find solutions to issues affecting their streets.
That can mean something as simple as helping residents request a residential speed hump if drivers are speeding through their neighborhood. It can also mean working to bring more trees into the area or organizing community events, including Halloween and Christmas celebrations.
Horn says the key is listening to residents first, because every neighborhood has its own needs.
“So that’s what, you know, we’ve been doing and we listen to what the issues are with what they have because each, you know, each area has different issues,” Horns said. “We find out the issues and then bring those people from the city in and then handle their issues.”
And in the process, Horn says the neighborhood watch has done more than help address safety concerns. It has helped build a stronger sense of community.
Residents now know there are people nearby who are paying attention, people who will speak up when something seems out of place and check in when a neighbor needs help.
“Everybody looks out for each other,” Horns said. “If they see something, you know, they say, ‘Hey, you know, do you see what’s happening?’ Or they’ll call.”
For Horn, neighbors don’t have to be best friends to make a difference.
“They don’t have to be BFFs,” she said. “They just have to pay attention.”
In a neighborhood filled with cameras, technology may provide another layer of security. But residents say there is still something uniquely powerful about having people who know their community, know their neighbors — and care enough to watch out for one another.