SALINAS - Several Salinas communities are taking it upon themselves to protect their neighborhoods and the city hopes more will jump on board.
The Los Olivos Riker Neighborhood Association has taken safety to the next level.
In addition to alerting the community about suspicious activity through social media, the group is also going out and finding it.
"We are more comfortable and we are more aware of our surroundings and what we should look out for," said Cynthia Schaffer with the Los Olivos Riker Association.
People might be seeing more people, like Shaffer, patrolling the streets of Salinas.
She's doesn't wear a badge, but a green vest, and goes out looking for anything suspicious in her neighborhood.
"There have been a couple of incidents where neighbors have called in, called the SPD (Salinas Police Department), they've come and they've witnessed and they get the person who shouldn't have been there," she said.
Salinas Police said crime statistics can sometimes be misleading.
Just because reported crime may go up in an area, doesn't mean it's less safe.
"They report incidents to us that otherwise we would not be aware of, so they're taking an active role in their neighborhoods and they're making them safer," said Miguel Cabrera, officer for the Salinas Police Department.
Now the Salinas Neighborhood Council wants to train all Neighborhood Watch groups and people in the city to actually go out and patrol themselves, like Shaffer.
"When you see a neighborhood with people outside walking, with babies in strollers, you get a better sense of community," Shaffer said.
Training for community patrolling will give people an idea on what they can and can't do, said Steve McShane, Salinas councilman and vice president of the Neighborhood Council.
The idea is to get neighbors to get out on the streets to be proactive, but not confrontational with people.
The community patrolling training will be held on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Salinas City Hall.
There will be a community meeting on Nov. 12.
