Citizen patrol keeps eye on homes for vacationers

PHOENIX — No matter what time of year it is, people plan on taking a vacation.

As it turns out, residents of Surprise can rest even easier while on extended holiday.

“Volunteers working citizens’ patrol pride themselves in making sure they are responding to these residences routinely,” said Surprise Police Sgt. Mike Donovan. “While these people are gone, they are going a certain number of times to make sure the property is safe.”

Donovan said the program is effective.

“Since the inception of the Vacation Watch program, none of those homes that were registered with the program were burglarized.”

To learn more, call Surprise Police Citizen Patrol at (623) 222-4277 or visit surpriseaz.gov.