Officer Harrell
Officer KerseySAVANNAH, GA -
The Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department has assigned two officers to crime prevention roles.
Officer Bryan Harrell of the West Chatham Precinct and Advanced Patrol Officer Christopher Kersey of the Islands Precinct are the newest Crime Prevention Officers.
Crime Prevention Officers educate area residents and businesses about ways to prevent crime.
Officials say their duties include identifying high crime areas and high crime patterns and then come up with a plan to reduce them.
Harrell joined the department in September 2010 and has been a member of West Chatham's Crime Suppression Unit.
Kersey became an SCMPD officer in June 2008 where he served on the Islands Precinct's Patrol Division.
Before his official appointment, Kersey implemented a Battery Point neighborhood watch group, which drew high levels of attendance and enthusiasm from residents, SCMPD said.
The group helped residents gain access to officer-conducted home security inspections, burglary protection checklists and information on effectively reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement.
Kersey plans to further these initiatives in his new role.
"I believe in community policing," said Kersey. "They have more eyes than we do. They see crime happening before we do."
Harrell added, "I want the community as a whole to know the police department is approachable. I want the community to be more aware of their surroundings and look out for one another."
