Forming and Facilitating a Trail Watch Group
Presenter Gene Carleton, DCTW Facilitator
Durham Community Trail Watch Created in November 2012 by the Community Resource Unit of the Durham Police Department, the Durham Community Trail Watch group is a network of volunteers that patrol the Hike & Bike trails in Durham, North Carolina. The group was originally formed to help make the American Tobacco Trail a safer and more enjoyable place for friends and family to enjoy the outdoors.
Durham Community Trail Watch Getting a Trail Watch Group Started Need a cause for volunteers to rally behind ∗ Reducing crime ∗ Improving infrastructure ∗ Clean up and beautify Create a mission statement to help the group maintain focus
Durham Community Trail Watch Need a partner to provide support for: ∗ Website hosting ∗ Application processing ∗ Funding Potential partners include: ∗ Police Department ∗ Parks & Recreation ∗ Neighborhood Watch group ∗ Church or other local citizen group ∗ Private businesses
Durham Community Trail Watch What should you expect when you form a Trail Watch group? ∗ 25% - 30% of your volunteers will probably be active ∗ Make application process easy with an online form ∗ Most applications are submitted after an “event” ∗ Promote group outside of trail watch patrols ∗ National Night Out ∗ Bike to the Bulls ∗ Group’s minimum leadership required: ∗ Facilitator – someone to keep the group focused ∗ Secretary - someone to communicate activities
Durham Community Trail Watch Volunteer Training ∗ Trail Watch group’s guidelines ∗ Provide official Trail Watch vests or hats so trail users can identify your group on patrol ∗ Safety training program approved and supported by local law enforcement. ∗ How to handle suspicious or illegal situations ∗ How to identify “the bad guy”. ∗ Who to call and what info will they need. ∗ CPR training.
Durham Community Trail Watch Keeping it fresh a.k.a. reducing volunteer burn-out Avoid monthly meetings ∗ Quarterly meetings are probably sufficient ∗ Conduct a yearly appreciation/recognition meeting ∗ Local businesses donate “prizes” for top volunteers ∗ Create social media accounts (Facebook) and e-mail lists for group ∗ communications Keep mandatory requirements to a minimum ∗ Encourage other group activities ∗ Hosting bike rides or family walks ∗ Adopt-a-Trail ∗ Education Stations ∗
Durham Community Trail Watch Volunteer Expectations • Have fun. • Patrol at their convenience. • Patrol with a partner if possible. • Support other trail users in need of assistance. Avoid confrontations. • • Move to a safe location and call 9-1-1 if they witness suspicious behavior or an illegal activity. • Call Durham 1-Call if they notice unsafe trail conditions such as excessive trail debris, malfunctioning traffic signals, etc. • Report their patrol hours and observations each month to the group’s facilitator.
Durham Community Trail Watch Trail Watch Hours Since the Trail Watch group was formed in October 2012, our volunteers have reported over 9500 patrol hours on Durham’s Hike & Bike trails!
Durham Community Trail Watch Trail Watch Effectiveness The big question: Is the Trail Watch program working? Answer – Yes! In our first full year, our volunteers reported calling 9-1-1 over twenty times . There were only ∗ 2 months when we did not call 9-1-1. Most common calls: Group of individuals blocking trail, alcohol consumption, possible drug use, ∗ motorcycle on trail, assisting distressed trail users In 2014, our volunteers called 9-1-1 only thirteen times . This year, there were 5 months where ∗ we did not call 9-1-1. Most common calls: Motorcycles on trail, kids skipping school, alcohol consumption, suspicious ∗ behavior. In 2015, our volunteers called 9-1-1 only four times . ∗ Since October 2015, our volunteers had to call 9-1-1 only one time! ∗
Durham Community Trail Watch See you on the Trails Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/ DurhamCommunityTrailWatch
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