In response to a string of recent incidents, including several attacks on students, community members from Binghamton’s West Side met on Friday evening to plan the formation of a neighborhood crime watch.

The meeting was organized by Dani Cronce, the District 3 city councilwoman, and was held at at Champz Sports Grille on Main Street. District 3 encompasses much of the West Side, including heavily student-populated areas surrounding Main Street. The crime watch would consist of community members and students who keep in contact with the police about neighborhood issues.

Around two dozen citizens attended the meeting. Cronce emphasized the need for cooperation between neighbors to not only combat criminal offenses, but also quality-of-life offenses such as littering and noise complaints.

“We’re the first response when a crime happens,” Cronce said. “[Community members] are there even before the police so we have to act to prevent crime.”

Also in attendance was police officer Christopher Governanti, the Binghamton University liaison to the Binghamton Police. He took questions from attendees about police protocol and other areas of community interest, such as what to do when witnessing a crime or submitting a noise complaint.

Relating specifically to students, Governanti emphasized the importance of stepping up and contacting the police when necessary, especially in larceny or drug-related crimes.

“Students can help the community by reporting crime when they see it,” Governanti said. “Too often people claim they were witnesses to crimes but never tell us, so we have no way of knowing about what happened.”

He also stressed that students should be alert when walking around Downtown Binghamton alone.

“To keep themselves safe, students should take common sense steps by making sure they are aware of their surroundings,” Governanti said. “By doing things like walking with your headphones in and your head down, you can put yourself in danger.”

While many of the residents in attendance noted the safety issues faced by students and full-time residents alike, others remarked about the amount of littering — specifically in student-populated areas — and discussed possible ways to beautify communities made up of non-permanent residents.

Several community members suggested that increasing communication between community members in the neighborhood should be extended to students living Downtown.

“My neighborhood is saturated with students,” said Sarina Barrera, a Binghamton resident. “Every year in September, I go to meet the new students and remind them to lock their cars and things like that. If they don’t act, the crime will trickle down to us.”

Milton Chester, the assistant dean for off-campus services, also attended the meeting. He emphasized creating a culture of cooperation between students and the community in which everyone maintains good behavior.

“It is important for students to keep up a good relationship with their surrounding communities,” Chester said. “And generally, that does happen.”

Cronce closed the meeting by stating that this gathering should be the first of many. She sent out all of the vital emergency contact information provided by the Binghamton Police, and encouraged all in attendance to get their neighbors involved.