Rochester Police’s ‘Dog Walker Watch’ Program Expanding

If you regularly get out an enjoy Rochester's many parks and trails and want to help keep our community safe, the Rochester Police Department is again offering a program you might want to check out.

The Rochester police Dog Walker Watch program, or 'Pooch Patrol,' was first started two years ago as a way for citizens out walking their dogs to help the department by keeping their eyes peeled for any sort of suspicious activity, a story in the Post-Bulletin said.

The program was such a success the past two years, that this year it's being expanded to include bicyclers (the 'Pedal Patrol') and walkers (the 'Foot Patrol').  "The classes are open to dog owners who walk their dogs daily, those who ride their bicycles for exercise and those who go for daily walks in their neighborhood. To date, 125 dog walkers have been trained, covering 85 percent of the city," the story said.

To take part, you first attend a one-hour class put on by Rochester police that contains instructions on what to look for. "It will teach residents how to be more aware and alert while out on their regular walks and bike rides. The lessons will also include how to effectively report suspicious activity to 911," the PB story noted.

The story went on to say that there are many opportunities to become a part of the program, noting that one-hour classes are held on the last Thursday of each month (starting Thursday, March 31st) and run the last Thursday in July. The department is also offering classes on  April 28, May 26 and June 23. You only need to attend one of the classes to be a part of the program.