[swimdawg]

I have been reading various comments about Community Watch....pros and cons. I think that you should be aware of their enormous salaries and benefits. Day in day out, they are out there...FOR US....the residents of The Villages. They do get harrassed.....some verbally and some physically. I know of a patrol driver at Colony who was hit by a car yesterday.

How do I know? I have a good friend who works for Community Watch. He makes minimum wage. That's true if the Community Watch worker has been there 7 years or 7 weeks. Because of the new FEDERAL laws, the CW workers are not allowed to work over 128 hours per month..........so they get no medical benefits.

I hate to even THINK this......but these guys (and gals) would be better off going on public assistance! But they are won't. Look at them....they're our friends and neighbors from The Villages who WANT to protect us.

How about a shout out for them? Thank you Community Watch workers!

[angiefox10]

Thank you and well said!

[Phanatic Luvr]

I totally agree. And remember, the Community Watch is complaint driven. Meaning, whenever a complaint comes in about anything ... fox in the backyard, snake on my lanai, direct traffic, neighbor playing music too loud, gates being knocked down, etc, etc, etc, they go out to address all those issues.
And like you said, they do it not for the big bucks they earn, they do it for their community.

[ilovetv]

Swimdawg is so right on this. They get "urgent" calls for things like seeing a person walking the dog and they can't see a plastic bag in the owner's hand. (Never mind it might be in their pocket.)

They have to put up with all kinds of crackpots.

[Bonanza]

Yes, our community watchers have a thankless job. Yes, in some situations it could be considered overkill, but overall, they do a good job and are dedicated for what? Lousy pay and no benefits. Kinda reminds me of how WalMart treats their employees!

[Parker]

I think Community Watch does a great job. But I don't think it is really thankless, as many of us appreciate them and all they do. They are friendly and always respond promptly when called. It is reassuring to see their vehicles around the neighborhoods.

[tainsley]

I have a neighbor who works for Community Watch and another who recently retired...wonderful neighbors and friends! Community Watch does a great service for all of us! Give them a big smile of a handshake the next time you see them!

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by tainsley

I have a neighbor who works for Community Watch and another who recently retired...wonderful neighbors and friends! Community Watch does a great service for all of us! Give them a big smile of a handshake the next time you see them!

I also have a neighbor who does Community Watch. He has some various funny stories.

There was a little action with Community Watch a few days ago. This was about a broken bench at Lynnhaven pool and postal center a few days ago. Not sure what had happened to it.

It was there one day while I was walking my dog and the next day it was gone.

A Community Watch person with a clipboard in hand went into the pool area and addressed the crowd of maybe thirty about if anybody knew about a broken lounge chair or bench.

I had seen the Community Watch man going around looking for something but I just made sure I pulled out my trusty plastic bag while cleaning up some of my dog's poop. I thought maybe the poop patrol had come to Lynnhaven and just minded my dog's business.

After no one had mentioned the busted chair and its disappearance to the Community Watch guy with his clipboard I made a beeline to him as he was checking out the benches near the bocce court and informed him about the concrete slab that used to have a broken bench the day before. He asked me who "they" were who had come picked up the busted chair and then offered a solution when I said I had no idea who had come and picked up the seating option.

He must have been working on someone's complaint from the day before or perhaps from someone who had not double-checked on the presence or absence of the romantic bench overlooking a golf course hole as well as a pretty pond.

[graciegirl]

Day before yesterday Helene and I were enjoying the warm weather on the front porch when The Community Watch truck pulled in to slowly make his rounds. We both waved and he waved back and said something that sounded friendly. When he came up the street again I went out to tell him how much we appreciated what he did for the community and he said he was a retired police officer.


I see them go slowly up and down our streets in the middle of the night, both in Hadley and our new village. Not many places has that service and especially for the low price our amenties cost. AND the folks who are our Watchers are people who live here and every last one I have met has been a sterling example of a good citizen.


Thank you Herve, Thank you all Community Watchers.

[OldManTime]

Think I can call Community Watch about Dogs (many) pooping in Paradise Park. Last I called them, i was told they will respond in 24 hours, wonder if i can freeze the dog for that long.

[kittygilchrist]

oohrah for Community Watch!