Press release from: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

Target presents Sheriff's Office with $2k for Neighborhood Watch efforts

Video: Visit our video page to see footage of the Target grant check handoff (optimized for Windows and Internet Explorer)

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On Dec. 4, Target presented the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office with a $2,000 grant to go toward new Neighborhood Watch programs.

"This is very much appreciated and comes at an excellent time," said Officer Sara McClurg, who coordinates the Neighborhood Watch program for the Sheriff's Office. " I had dwindling amounts of materials for Neighborhood Watch -- I was down to my last sign, actually -- so this will keep the program running for a minimum of a year. Our goal is to use this money to get at least 15 new Neighborhood Watch programs started."

David Bondioli, a Loss Prevention Specialist with Target, stressed the close relationship his stores have developed with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office while presenting the check to McClurg.

"The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has been such a great resource for the Clackamas Target store that I was able to talk to the people that head the grant program at corporate headquarters, and I talked to Sara, who did a great job writing a grant and submitting it," Bondioli said. "Target is very supportive of law enforcement agencies that do programs like this."

Bondioli has been attending monthly Loss Prevention meetings hosted by the Crime Prevention Unit, and works closely with deputies to capture shoplifters at the Target at Clackamas Promenade.

"The Neighborhood Watch program emphasizes community involvement -- recognizing and reporting suspicious activity, keeping abreast of crime trends, and being aware of good practices in home and personal safety," said McClurg. "The program has a track record of effectively reducing crime in neighborhoods.

"Our Crime Prevention unit provides Neighborhood Watch training to interested neighborhoods free of charge -- supplying them with training manuals, window decals and Neighborhood Watch street signs.

"Of course, the materials cost money -- and the Crime Prevention budget is not adequate to keep pace with demand for these materials. I asked Target for $2,000 in my grant application -- enough money to keep the program running for at least another year."

For more information on the Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention unit and its Neighborhood Watch program, contact Officer Sara McClurg at (503) 353-4441 or crimeprevention@co.clackamas.or.us or visit the official Web page: www.clackamas.us/sheriff/neighborhoodwatch.jsp