Residents of a Dallas neighborhood believe the down economy is taking a toll on its safety.
While crime in the Lake Highlands area is up, membership in the crime watch program is down by double digits.
Currently, only 54 percent of homeowners pay dues for extra police patrols in Town Creek. And in neighboring Forest Meadow, only 41 percent are willing to pay the $350 per year for extra police patrols.
But resident Cinco Sorrow has come up with a plan to get businesses to sponsor off-duty police patrols in exchange for an advertisement in the neighborhood's newsletter.
And she is putting her money where her mouth is.
"We, Probity Investors, are contributing as the first sponsor $3,000, which will buy 100 patrol hours for our neighborhood," Sorrow said.
Alex Wells, whose two cars broken into outside his home on Robin Meadow Drive in the past year, said it is an outstanding idea.
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"I think this is a wonderful way to reach our neighborhood with advertising message and do something great to reduce crime around here," he said.
The Lake Highlands neighborhood hopes its idea catches on with other Dallas neighborhoods that may also be struggling to foot the bill for extra police patrols.
