Published: June 10, 2008 10:30 pm         

Hinton residents in fear of arsonist

Watch group may help patrol town for perpetrator

HINTON — With a serial arsonist apparently lurking somewhere in their midst, Hinton officials are asking community members to put “more eyes and ears” on the streets and help snuff out the recent string of blazes that have terrified their community.

“Everybody knows we have an arsonist here and I am determined not to let this town burn down around me,” neighborhood watch coordinator Virginia Hatcher said. “That’s going to take all of us pulling together and acting like adults and helping our community.

About 25 citizens, along with Mayor Cleo Mathews, fire officials and others, attended the Tuesday night neighborhood watch meeting.

Hatcher introduced Milton police chief Gregg Mullins, who called his Cabell County neighborhood program “the first of its kind in West Virginia.” Now, Hinton wants to bring Mullins’ roaming neighborhood watch program to their streets.

“With our program, members actually ride around the community with the capabilities to speak to the officers by radio,” Mullins said. “This is not a vigilante process, but this is taking back your community with an extra sets of ears and eyes.”

If given the green light by city council — Mathews was the only council member in attendance — specially trained volunteers would patrol the streets in a city owned vehicle equipped with amber lights and a police radio.

If volunteers spot something amiss, they would contact the on-duty police officer and report it. The police officer then uses his or her discretion on responding or not. Regardless, incident report forms are filled out and given to the police.

Both Hinton police chief Steven Gray and state assistant fire marshal Scott Rodes support the program. As lead investigator, Rodes said “progress is being made” concerning the string of arsons. He declined further comment.

Local citizens Virginia and Russell Fitzwater signed up for the new program and are eager to help rid their community of any criminals. Virginia Fitzwater said she would not be frightened if she caught the arsonist in the act of torching a building.

“I think I would be more angry,” she said. “How dare them do this to our community.”

William Stover said this program is exactly what the community of Hinton needs.

“A lot of folks are scared to walk the streets because of the punks out there,” he said. “They tried to jump me once, but I stood up to these bums. I don’t back down to them.”

Hatcher said Chief Gray will be holding classes on June 24 for volunteers who want to join the program. All those interested must first undergo background checks and will be certified after about a day’s worth of training, she said.

Eligible volunteers must have a valid state driver’s license, be 18 years of age and live in Summers County. No weapons are allowed in the neighborhood patrol vehicles, but a small pocketknife may be carried. Hours of operation would depend on how many volunteer.

Mathews said about $2,000 would be used to retro-fit an old city jeep with amber lights, a radio and proper identifying markers.

“We’ve got to do something. Even if this slows it down a bit,” Mathews said. “This could even deter the arsonist from striking again.”

For more information on how to join the neighborhood watch program, contact Virginia Hatcher at 660-6472. To report a tip concerning the fires, call the Arson Hotline at 1-800-233-3473.

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com