Church takes ministry into streets by patrolling against crime
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A UMNS Web-only image Herb Green is the founder of his town's first security patrol. "We wanted to keep drugs out of Trilby," Green says.
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Herb
Green (left) is the founder of Trilby, Fla.'s first security patrol.
"We wanted to keep drugs out of Trilby," Green says. The patrol unit has
17 volunteer officers who wear badges and ride in make-shift police
cruisers. Green is the choir director at Trilby United Methodist Church.
A Web-only image. Accompanies UMNS story #162. 3/18/05 |
March 18, 2005 By Nancy Johnson* TRILBY, Fla. (UMNS)—The stillness of Trilby’s hilly countryside masks a growing problem for the small town. “There’s narcotics crimes, drugs, robberies,” said longtime resident Keith Moody. The
Pasco County Sheriff’s Department responds to as many calls for service
as it can. But now, a small group of neighbors is providing
backup. In January, Herb Green, the choir director at Trilby United
Methodist Church, formed Trilby’s first security patrol. “Some
drug traffic is moving in from adjoining neighborhoods. The main reason
we started this is we wanted to keep drugs out of Trilby,” Green said. The
patrol unit has 17 volunteer officers. They took a four-hour course at
the sheriff’s office and passed criminal background checks. They wear
badges and ride in makeshift police cruisers. Their newest car is a
donation from Marny Walker, a longtime member of Trilby United Methodist
Church. After a trip to the body shop, her 1984 Pontiac Bonneville will
ride the streets of Trilby, fighting crime.
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A UMNS Web-only image The late Marny Walker, a longtime member of Trilby United Methodist Church, donated her car to the church's security fleet.
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The
late Marny Walker, a longtime member of Trilby (Florida) United
Methodist Church, donated her car to the church's security fleet. The
1984 Bonneville is the latest addition to the patrol unit which was
formed to help fight crime in the small town. It has 17 volunteer
officers, who wear badges and ride in make-shift police cruisers. A
Web-only image. Accompanies UMNS story #162. 3/18/05United Methodist
Church. A Web-only image. Accompanies UMNS story #162. 3/18/05 |
“We want to make
sure people feel safe in their community and they can walk down the
street and not be harmed,” said the Rev. Juan Marcos Garay, the church
pastor. “People worry about their chickens, their cows, their pigs.” The
security patrol acts as the eyes and ears of the sheriff’s department.
Officers respond to a variety of citizen complaints about problems such
as prostitution rings, drunk drivers and burglaries. “We had a 90-year-old woman call and wanted us to stop by. She had somebody looking in her windows,” Green said. Neighbors worry also about a suspected crack house. When a green light shines in the window, it’s open for business. “That’s
one of the reasons I’m glad to see a crime watch because it’s a big
deterrent to keep drugs out of this area,” said Scott Nichols, a Trilby
resident. “With these guys around, it would be more or less impossible
for anybody to set up operation out here. So that’s terrific.” The
patrol plans to add more officers and patrol cars. Green said he plans
to require that all officers attend the Citizens Police Academy. He
considers it his divine duty to help keep his community safe. “You ought to do something to put something back into society without being reimbursed for it.” *Johnson is a freelance writer and producer in Tampa, Fla. News media contact: Fran Coode Walsh, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5458 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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