Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr., is calling on citizens across Shelby County to be part of neighborhood and business crime watch groups. There has been a rise in home and business burglaries in areas patrolled by Sheriff’s Deputies.

“Although we continue to see almost a 6% reduction in overall crime when compared to this same time a year ago, we have, however, noted recent increases in burglaries. It is vital for people to be part of crime watch programs to help us spot suspicious activity,” said Sheriff Luttrell.

Along with the call for more crime watch groups, uniformed and undercover Deputies have increased patrols in neighborhoods in East and South-East Shelby County.

Sheriff’s Deputies urge citizens to keep these suggestions in mind to help reduce burglaries:

• Residents in the unincorporated areas of Shelby County and Arlington and Lakeland should meet routinely with Sheriff’s Deputies to discuss crime trends and other issues that might lead to criminal activity

• Keep garage doors closed and the door locked that leads from your garage to the living area of your home

• Report any suspicious activity of people walking or driving slowly through a neighborhood or parking lot

Deputies are also available to conduct more than 30 crime prevention programs free of charge. Those programs and a guide to organizing a crime watch group are included with this news release. To schedule a crime watch meeting or a specific program, contact the Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Bureau at (901) 867-1401.

View these documents in PDF format below or view our web page for more info:

Shelby County Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Web Page

Crime Prevention Programs 2008

Crime Watch Meeting Sample Agenda 4-21-08