Worthington Area Crime Watch Seeks Membership

by Jonathan Weaver

A local crime watch is looking for group members to help reduce crime.

The Worthington Area Crime Watch held a kick-off party Wednesday, August 10, to attract residents to get involved and keep an eye open.

Mayor Kevin Feeney asks for the public’s help.

“We don’t have a lot of problems in town, but with a part time police force, we need the eyes and ears and need some help out there,” Feeney said.

The group seeks group members and officers, such as a secretary or treasurer, to join. Local Resident Cathy Slagle officially announced herself as group captain Wednesday.

“We need leadership to get it started. We’ve been talking about it for a few months, but we’re moving forward,” Slagle said.

Mark Clepper has lived in Worthington for 10 years and is one that volunteered his time as an officer. He explained why.

“We have a nice, safe community here and it’s nice to come home to a nice, quiet town and I want to keep it that way,” Clepper said.

Overall, 10 residents signed an application to be involved with the program.

Slagle created two model T-shirts to sell to interested members – one orange, one yellow – and hopes people start ordering to wear them around town.

“Everybody wants to get a buzz from drugs – well, we wanna get the new buzz,” Slagle said.

Local residents should contact Tammy Crissman at TLC Creations to order.

Worthington Borough Police Chief William DeForte pointed out the biggest drug problem in Armstrong County to more than a dozen attendees.

“90 percent of the crime that we have is directly connected to drug use,” DeForte said. “Thefts, robberies, murders…its all related to one thing. The biggest problem in our community is heroin.

“We can’t pinpoint these problems in the early stages without your help. If you someones child acting differently, and you find these bags in the house, we need a phone call,” DeForte said. “If we act early, we can prevent a much larger problem.”

State Constable Barry Rosen is also committed to stopping drug activity.

“We are here to make a difference –we’re going to make a difference. My kids are here, I’m here, your kids are here. I’m not gonna stop,” Rosen said. “We’re in here day-in and day-out doing the same thing.”

Following the meeting, Feeney said the turn-out wasn’t very big, but the message was spread.

“It’s a start – we have the right people here and within the next month, we’ll have a lot of things established to go,” Feeney said. “Everything’s good.”

The group will meet next month, September 14 at 7PM.

The crime watch also created a tip-line so that community residents can alert the police about possible crime. That phone number is 545-4166.

Crime Watch Holds Kick-Off Tonight

Worthington Police are looking forward to additional help from a local committee of concerned residents that will meet tonight at the Worthington-West Franklin Fire Hall at 6:00 PM.

by Jonathan Weaver

A local crime watch is looking for membership this fall and will begin to solicit public support tonight.

The Worthington Crime Watch, which first met in March at the Worthington firehall, will host a kick-off party tonight to generate support.

State Constable Barry Rosen announced the event times yesterday afternoon.

“We’re having a Crime Watch Kick-off party tomorrow night from 6-8PM at the fire hall,” Rosen said. “Tomorrow’s the big sign-up. Hopefully, we’ll get some people.”

Crime Watch Member and Supporter Cathy Slagle urges public participation in the program and hopes many are in attendance to learn about the crime watch tonight.

“I’ve been kinda pushing for it,” Slagle said. “I think we need one, I think we need to make a difference and save the next generation to make the drug dealers think twice about coming here – if they know we are out there and watching them, maybe they’ll go somewhere else.”

Slagle said the group is looking to fill leadership roles, such as a secretary or treasurer, as well as team members to enforce a safe community.

“What we really need is for people to come forward and get involved,” Slagle said.

The Worthington-West Franklin Fire hall is located along Route 422 at 171 Linton Street within the borough limits.

Refreshments and hot dogs from Market on Reynolds in Kittanning will be served to participants and children will have the opportunity to have their face painted.