You may soon spot a new shield-shaped sign outside a neighbor’s home. Safer Rockridge (SR) is offering yard signs to make its patrol service more visible and help neighbors find it when they need it.
Rockridge resident and designer Paola Coda created the signs and Safer Rockridge’s new logo:
Each 9-by-9-inch sign includes the patrol’s 24-hour dispatch number and a QR code linking to the Safer Rockridge website. Placed near a front door, a sign lets visitors and passersby know that neighbors are looking out for one another. It may also introduce the service to someone who hasn’t heard of it yet.
“We are very excited about the new signs,” said Board President Chris Shayne. “Not only do they look great, but more importantly, they are a deterrent, and that is the main objective of the entire Safer Rockridge program. We’re very pleased that we were able to work with a designer who lives in the neighborhood, as she was able to capture Rockridge’s charm while still signaling to bad actors that they’re not welcome here.”
Safer Rockridge began with neighbors coming together around a simple idea: everyone in Lower Rockridge should be able to benefit from a neighborhood patrol, whether or not they can afford to contribute. The nonprofit is supported by residents and local businesses, and its patrol drivers are professional and unarmed.
During a shift, drivers move slowly through a quadrant of the neighborhood, following a grid pattern to cover its blocks. They spend more time in busy areas, look out for open garage doors and vehicle trunks, and return to homes that have recently called the service. The board monitors the vehicles by GPS to check patrol coverage.
If a driver sees something unusual, they begin by asking in a friendly, non-confrontational way whether anyone needs help. Their job is to observe, support, and report, and, when necessary, serve as a witness. Safer Rockridge hopes to expand the time drivers spend on patrol as community support grows.
Shayne added that the signs also serve a second purpose:
“They make Safer Rockridge more visible to neighbors who may be unaware it exists. Hopefully, the increased visibility will lead to more subscribers. Although we offer our service for free, SR remains 100% reliant on contributions, and we hope the signs motivate neighbors to consider making a recurring investment of $30/month.”
Recurring donors can request a yard sign at no charge. Neighbors who cannot make a monthly commitment can make a one-time $20 contribution to cover production, then complete the same sign request form. New recurring donors can sign up online; Safer Rockridge suggests $30 per month.
Adding a yard sign is one way to show support, but there are plenty of ways to take part. Neighbors can volunteer, subscribe to the free email newsletter for patrol updates and gathering announcements, or simply learn more about the service. Visit saferrockridge.org or email saferrockridge@gmail.com to get in touch.
