Menifee Neighborhood Watch group's goal is to be citywide

Menifee Mayor Neil Winter (far left) and Sheriff's Department deputies attended the most recent Neighborhood Watch meeting. Photos courtesy of Benz Teeranitayatarn

Note: Story has been updated to list a new venue for the July 22 meeting.

Mail theft remains a problem in Menifee. Car break-ins are reported regularly. It seems that every day, residents spot suspicious persons scoping out neighborhoods.

The City of Menifee's contract with the Riverside Sheriff's Department was recently expanded, providing an additional eight sworn officers -- four patrol officers -- to the Menifee Police Department. Even so, Menifee still has only .64 officers per 1,000 residents, which is below the county's suggested minimum of .80 per 1,000.

The police additions are welcome, but no one is saying there are enough officers to protect the city alone. As officials have for decades across the nation, city and police officials in Menifee are calling upon residents to help law enforcement keep an eye on local streets.

One local group is taking that challenge seriously. This movement is not only to create a Neighborhood Watch group, but to develop a Mega-Neighborhood Watch.

Menifee Neighborhood Watch has held two meetings in attempting to form a group that will eventually be citywide. The first meeting was held last month in the garage of Benz Teeranitayatarn, a former San Diego police officer and Pechanga Tribal Ranger whose introduction on her Facebook page says "Neighborhood Watch, Student, Runner, Volunteer, So Cal native, Real Estate Consultant for Life."

Teeranitayatarn (TEE-ruh-nee-TAH-yuh-TARRN) said the group began with her efforts to post items on the Nextdoor.com app, used by many residents to exchange neighborhood information. The communication soon grew into a Facebook page. As word spread, more residents began to join in the effort. The group of about 15 in that first meeting more than doubled when the group met again outside the Lake House on Newport Road in the Menifee Lakes community a few weeks later.

Menifee Mayor Neil Winter attended the second meeting along with two Sheriff's deputies, including Community Service officer John Thomas, who coordinates Neighborhood Watch programs in Menifee. Neighborhoods represented at that meeting included Menifee Greens, Andalusia and the Lakes, as well as some representatives from neighborhoods west of the freeway.

The group's next meeting will be held July 22 at 10 a.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Wheatfield Park Community Center, 30627 Menifee Road. All residents are invited to attend and help represent individual neighborhoods in a coordinated effort. Diane Coronado, one of the group members, told Menifee 24/7 "it's for all Menifee. We're hoping that each neighborhood has their own hub or groups to go out and patrol, but we would like to make it citywide."

Sheriff's Dpartment Community Service Officer John Thomas addresses guests at the most recent meeting.

How did all this get started?

"I took it upon myself to recruit neighbors and we started meeting," Teeranitayatarn said. "We have been in contact with our CSO, Officer Thomas, to make sure we get nationally accredited. My hope is that this group will be for all, that Menifee will have one big Neighborhood Watch group. But each individual community has to be active for it to work."

The police department's relationship with Neighborhood Watch groups is described this way on the City of Menifee website:

Neighborhood Watch meetings are typically held at homes within the community. The Menifee Police Department is available to teach residents on how to identify suspicious activity in their neighborhoods and how to properly report it to the police. Officers give presentations on burglary prevention in these meetings and hand out crime prevention booklets on various topics.

If this group grows and functions as Teeranitayatarn hopes, it will be one of the largest and most effective such groups around.

"We don't want our group to just be 'report things on our Facebook page.' We want to be out patrolling our neighborhoods. Right now we have three guys we call The Watch. They patrol neighborhoods. They walk or ride bikes. They wear headlamps, neon reflectors and bright clothing. They want to be seen, to help deter criminals."

It's clear that there are more than three group members walking neighborhoods. On the group's Facebook page last week, Teeranitayatarn exchanged information with others about her recent patrol.

Teeranitayatarn said a break-in in her neighborhood and signs of drug activity were factors in her formation of the group. She said such activity appears to have decreased since the resident patrols began.

"The Sheriff's Department stepped in and patrolled more because they know we're out there trying to help," she said. "A lot of good has happened already."

Sheriff's Department Captain Brandon Ford, who serves as Menifee police chief, acknowledged the importance of Neighborhood Watch groups in supplementing the efforts of law enforcement.

"Over the last year, we have seen an increase in community interest in Neighborhood Watch principles," Ford said. "It is well established that simple crime prevention strategies, including environmental design, use of cameras, signage, responsible use of social media, getting to know your neighbors, etc. can go a long way to prevent crime.

"Much of the voiced community concern about crime involves a variety of crimes of opportunity. We are excited about the prospect of more people using simple strategies to reduce the easy opportunities for criminals. Where the risk is not worth the reward, the criminal will move on, which is definitely what we want. The preservation of the quality of life we all enjoy in Menifee is everyone’s responsibility."

Winter said he is a strong supporter of the group's mission to spread the Neighborhood Watch mentality citywide.

"It's similar to what we're doing with the Homeless Alliance," he said. "This idea is now moving from community to community. If one community is doing it and another isn't, what's going to happen? Crime will simply shift from one community to another.

"She (Teeranitayatarn) is very passionate about this, and they're all taking it very seriously. We have to work together. The city is blessed with open thoroughfares through the area, such as Newport Road and the freeway. This gives people very easy access in and out, but it also gives easy access to the criminals. A lot of these crimes are quick attacks where they strike and get out. We have to be watchful."

Anyone interested in details about the group should email benzteer@gmail.com, call 951-514-9051 or visit the group's Facebook page and ask to become a member.