Due to a staggering outbreak of criminal activity in their neighborhood, volunteers at one Southeast Austin apartment complex have recently established a neighborhood watch program that has been making waves in local news. Located on East Riverside, The Zone apartment complex has become somewhat of a hotbed for crime—and, apparently, residents of the complex have had enough of it.
According to reports, “Austin police have been called to The Zone apartments 40 times so far this year,” and the nature of the crimes committed range “from murder to burglary” . Most recently, police were called to The Zone in early December to investigate an armed robbery, and, according to one resident, the scene was nothing short of horrific:
“You hear five or six gunshots go off and a guy screaming for a while,” said Andrew Jackson in an interview with KEYE News. “In between all of that, my car was broken into.”
In an effort to clean up their neighborhood from these kinds of nightmarish scenes, many local residents have joined the Apartment Residents On Watch (AROW) program and are optimistic about the possibilities if they all look out for one another.
“It’s you look out for me and I will look out for you,” said Nicole Avant.
The AROW program, which is run by the Austin Police Department, has reportedly already made a difference in the community as several residents seem to feel safer in their surroundings. In this program, Austin police officers “train apartment dwellers to be on the lookout for suspicious activity,” and due to a somewhat alarming lack of security guards in the complex, the program is incredibly necessary indeed.
At Freedom Bail Bonds, we appreciate the effort and concern that these residents are clearly demonstrating for their community. To us, it’s always inspiring to see others genuinely care for their environment, and we share the same passion for our own community. Whether we are helping our clients get a second chance to change their lives or keeping you up to date on local news, you can bet that we always have genuine interest and compassion for those that we are serving!
