By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery has a plan to help reduce the amount of neighborhood crime and it involves an unlikely group of officers — senior citizens.

During a state of the city address Friday morning at the Fultondale Senior Center at Black Creek Park, Lowery told senior citizens that he would like to implement a “senior watch” program.

He said most seniors are retired at home, making it easier for them to keep an eye on their neighbors who are at work during daytime hours.

“We have 100 people that come down here every day. … That’s 200 eyes,” Lowery said.

He said someone had mentioned the increase in car break-ins in Gardendale and noted that the interstate made it easier for would-be thieves to commit a crime and leave town undetected. He urged seniors to be aware of their surroundings.

“Notice things in your neighborhood and notice how things look,” he said. “If you go home one way, go home a different way. We want you to help us look out for your neighbors because you’re here.”

Heading up the senior watch program will be new Fultondale Police officer Alan Rogers, who comes to the department with 32 years of police experience with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Rogers, a Fultondale native, has experience in investigations and was also involved in the county’s Crimestoppers program.

Rogers said he was amazed by the amount of growth in Fulton-dale but added, “With progress comes the bad part, too.”

He echoed Lowery’s comments and said the seniors’ help to the department will be valuable because many residential burglaries happen during daytime hours.

“They see people coming into neighborhoods that aren’t supposed to be there,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll call me and say, ‘I should have called you.’”

Rogers wants senior citizens to get into the habit of reporting strange behavior to the police department. He said because the department has so many veteran officers, it will be easy to tell which calls are worth checking out.

“They can filter when we receive calls,” he said. “They’ll know if it’s a nothing call or if it’s something they need to send a car for and check out.”