Pictured are Police Chief Scott Forster, Mayor Kim Ecklund, and the three officers who earned promotions, Adam McKinley, promoted to Deputy Chief, Timothy Mason, promoted to Lieutenant and Kevin Weise, promoted to Sergeant during Monday’s city council voting session. Screenshot courtesy of the city of Jamestown’s website.

Interest has been growing in the city for the formation of Neighborhood Watch groups, but with the first official group in the city in a number of years being created in the Fulton Street neighborhood, the leader of that group is looking for more training and support from the city and police department.

Paul Wolff spoke with city council during Monday’s voting session before the resolution in support of his Neighborhood Watch group, “No Shenanigans” was approved. Before Wolff approached council, three promotions were acknowledged in the police department, and those officers were sworn into their new positions. Adam McKinley was promoted to Deputy Chief, Timothy Mason was promoted to Lieutenant and Kevin Weise was promoted to Sergeant.

“I’m hoping that these promotions also mean that Chief Forster is taking some ideas into consideration that we discussed last week as far as training for some officers regarding something that’s coming up for a vote tonight, you have community interest in a Neighborhood Watch,” Wolff said.

He added that volunteers were asked to come to the first meeting of the “No Shenanigans” Neighborhood Watch group and no one signed up, saying that if they could get more volunteers for next time, that would be appreciated. Wolff also said he almost approached the council to not even vote on the resolution Monday night, due to a lack of communication and some unanswered questions when it comes to Neighborhood Watch groups. He said he had been asked about who he was in contact with and making an official appointment, with no one contacting him about either.

Wolff also went to around 40 doors in the city to get the required 10 signatures for people interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch group. Wolff acknowledged that he is also disabled and without a vehicle, meaning he walked around the city to do this as well.

“I did everything I was supposed to do,” Wolff said. “I brought in the paperwork to an officer that told me he had no idea what to even do with it. … We need some training, especially if this vote for the Neighborhood Watch group, ‘No Shenanigans’, goes through. There are people asking questions and are unable to get answers because the officers do not know anything about the Neighborhood Watch.”

Wolff also acknowledged that there has not been an official group started in the city in many years, but the knowledge is there, including in the paperwork that has been handed out to some citizens, though he added the pamphlets just tell people to do what they have been doing which gets no response. He also thanked Councilman Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2, and Councilman Andrew Faulkner, R-Ward 6, specifically for their support of the Neighborhood Watch group.

When it came time for the approval of the resolution supporting the “No Shenanigans” Neighborhood Watch group, which specifically covers Fulton Street, Strong Street, Lakeview Avenue, and Sumner Place, city council president Regina Brackman, D-Ward 3, encouraged Wolff and the group to keep going with it.

“Don’t give up,” Brackman said. “You will get the support you need.”

Council members also asked that when the next meeting of the group is scheduled that Wolff emails them and lets them know, as a few others would like to attend. Mayor Kim Ecklund said if an email is sent to the clerk’s office the clerk can send it on to all of the council members.