Residents of Palmetto concerned over crime issues met again April 24 to continue a discussion designed to lead to the active participation of a Neighborhood Watch group. More than 50 attended the meeting at Palmetto Community Center, where they weighed in on concerns they believe are compromising their city.

Group leader Lucinda Rockemore updated residents on a recent survey and announced that 20 block captains had been identified. Having relocated to Palmetto from New Jersey three years ago, Rockemore was quick to give her sentiments on her new home.

“I moved here and I don’t plan to move. I like this town and I found a home,” she said.

In attendance at the meeting were Councilman John Miller, Police Chief Bobby Fronebarger and Detective John Cooper. Fronebarger said his department appreciated resident’s interest in combatting local criminal activity and hoped they would continue with their efforts. Criminal activity in Palmetto is one of the lowest in the area, Fronebarger said, noting that crime will increase as the area grows and the population increases.

“You should look out for yourself and your neighbor,” Fronebarger said, explaining that constant vigilance promotes a positive approach to thwarting many kinds of criminal activity.

Responding to several concerns over the number of officers currently employed and the number of those on patrol during a shift, Fronebarger said he would be asking for more personnel and another detective position during upcoming budget talks.

Much of the meeting was spent with residents reporting various types of activities in neighborhoods that ranged from nuisance to criminal. During the discussion, group leader and local business owner Mert Houston suggested that establishing a Boys & Girls Club in the city would provide teenagers with a constructive alternative to hanging out on city streets. Houston also gave residents a tip designed to minimize the extent of thefts if their homes are burglarized.

“Don’t put your valuables in a closet. That’s the first place crooks look to find guns, jewelry and money,” Houston explained, adding that residents should record the serial numbers of valuables such as electronics.

Police and group leaders advised residents to take notice of the activity in their neighborhoods, to take down tag numbers when possible, to report suspicious activity and be able to provide a physical description of suspicious vehicles.

Palmetto’s current estimated population is just over 4,000. And with the multi-year moratorium on new construction now lifted, the city will again be approached by increasing numbers of developers wanting to build homes and businesses inside city limits. Far from being a rural area that has existed for generations, the areas around Palmetto are bustling with new residents and many more traveling through the area. South Fulton County is now home to more than 100,000 people, along with approximately 115,000 in Coweta and more than 100,000 in Fayette.

The next meeting of the Neighborhood Watch group is May 29 at 7 p.m. at the community center.

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