RESIDENTS EMBRACE PATROL PROGRAM : NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH RETAKES TURF.

Byline: Luz Villarreal Daily News Staff Writer

Gloria Martino is walking through her neighborhood with more enthusiasm these days. She's passing out fliers, inviting neighbors to a party in June.

The occasion? Re-establishing a Neighborhood Watch program on Gentry Avenue.

``We need to protect our area,'' said Martino, who runs a day-care center out of her home. ``We need to know who our neighbors are.''

The longtime resident shouldn't have any trouble recruiting.

For starters, her neighborhood saw firsthand the impact of crime when two gunmen shot it out with police following a botched holdup of a Bank of America branch. But even more importantly, residents across the San Fernando Valley, it seems, are finding strength in numbers - the kind of numbers that help combat crime and improve the quality of life.

The Neighborhood Watch movement is catching on.

Police say there are more meetings taking place than ever before. Residents are patrolling their streets. Others are working the phones. Some are helping police with surveillance efforts.

Councilman Richard Alarcon wants to make sure it stays that way. On April 5, Alarcon is kicking off the ``I'm A Good Neighbor'' program at a community breakfast for members of Neighborhood Watch groups.

The program establishes a memorial fund to support Neighborhood Watch groups in the name of Pedro Benages - a Northridge apartment manager active in Neighborhood Watch who was killed Feb. 20.

The new program will also ask members to make pledges, promise to report graffiti, crime and suspicious activities.

``Somewhere along the way, I think we forgot what being a good neighbor means,'' Alarcon said. ``Neighborhood Watch is one of the best prevention programs out there.''

When Alarcon was first elected into office 3-1/2 years ago, there were 19 Neighborhood Watch groups in his district. Today there are about 40.

Efforts are under way to increase involvement that already is at an all-time high. In the Foothill Division, there are currently 476 block captains who oversee one to several Neighborhood Watch groups.

In the Devonshire Division, there are about 1,000 block captains. West Valley has 1,636 block captains and North Hollywood claims 833 block captains. Numbers from the Van Nuys Division were not available.

``Crime basically is down about 15 to 20 percent in just about any category you pick in the city,'' said Sgt. Russ Bolton, of the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Division. ``You have to include the efforts of Neighborhood Watch programs to that drop.''

In North Hollywood, the increase in Neighborhood Watch groups is more obvious.

``As a result of the North Hollywood shootout, we are seeing an increase in interest in public safety,'' said Sgt. Chris Thiffault. ``Thirteen block captains have been added to our rosters this last week alone.''

At a recent Neighborhood Watch meeting at the Boys & Girls Club in Pacoima, more than 45 residents turned out to meet members of the Police Department and ask questions. Like most Neighborhood Watch meetings, discussion followed a similar theme: neighborhood safety.

Senior Lead Officer Carlos Solano, from the Foothill Division, emphasized the point: ``We don't have a crystal ball at the station. You are the eyes and ears. You have to tell us what's going on.''

On that note, a woman enthusiastically raised her arm in the air.

``We live on a street where we see drug use,'' she said. ``People are congregating. What can I do?''

``What can we do about illegal dumping?'' asked another resident.

``Call us,'' Solano said. ``If you know the house, nicknames, anything, give us that information. Write their license plate numbers down.''

Police officers stressed they want people to get involved but they don't want them to get in harms way. Neighborhood Watch is suppose to be low-profile and nonconfrontational.

``Our whole program is eyes and ears,'' said Senior Lead Officer Tim Falco of the Foothill Division. ``They don't confront anybody or talk to anybody.''

In Mission Hills, Johnny Johnson is leading a citizen patrol effort.

Last week, Johnson, his son and a neighbor took a crash course from Falco.

The four of them cruised in Johnson's van as Falco pointed to suspicious cars and abandoned homes, showing the men what to look for and the do's and don'ts about their assignments.

``Three people need to go together,'' Falco reminded them. ``One to drive, the other to observe and the third person to take notes. Never drive into an alley. Any time you get somebody to come out and ask you what you are doing, just drive away.''

The men stopped next to a dusty black car parked next to a curb around the corner.

``It's got spider webs,'' Falcon said. ``It's dirty. I'll come back and take care of that one tomorrow.''

Then he pointed to an abandoned house with 3-foot-high weeds on the front lawn.

``If that house doesn't get any attention soon, it's going to attract attention,'' he said. ``Criminals look for neighborhoods where it looks like neighbors don't care.''

Johnson is satisfied with Neighborhood Watch. Since his community established a group about two years ago, neighbors are looking out for one another, and the graffiti and gang members that troubled the streets are on the wane.

``You can physically see the difference of communities with Neighborhood Watch and those without,'' Johnson said. ``I've been here close to 40 years and I only know about 10 neighbors. I should know all of them.''

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Photo

Photo: Ed Dunn, left, John Johnson and his son, Ken, are briefed by LAPD Officer Timothy Falco on how to patrol their neighborhood.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News