October 16, 2014 -- To protect themselves and their neighbors, residents in many neighborhoods participate in neighborhood watch programs to report criminal activities to law enforcement.
On a bigger scale, the Marine Corps has developed its own neighborhood watch-like campaign where personnel may report crimes or suspicious activities aboard its installations.
Dubbed the “Eagle Eyes” campaign, active-duty service members, civilian-Marines, contractors, family members, retirees and guests at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, may submit tips, leads and criminal or suspicious activities to the Marine Corps’ Eagle Eyes website, usmceagleeyes.org.
Click on MCLB Albany on the left hand side of the page to submit information.
According to law enforcement personnel, “Eagle Eyes” is not designed to report emergencies, but to “Watch, Report and Protect.” To report emergencies aboard MCLB Albany, call 229-639-5911.
Using the website is easy and it may be accessed via smartphones, Web and regular phones, according to Agent Kevin Casey, Criminal Investigation Division.
“‘Eagles Eyes has been in existence for several years,” Casey said.
“It was originally established as a hotline that was dialed and now is a functional website the public and our own personnel aboard the base can access 24/7 to provide information they think is unusual or suspicious,” he added.
During day-to-day activities here, people should look out for crimes such as illicit drug use and thefts or maybe seeing someone lurking around the Child Development Center.
In these types of instances, reporting to “Eagle Eyes” may be the best way to pass the activity to law enforcement; however, it must be emphasized that “Eagle Eyes” is not emergency 911, Police Chief Randy Jack, Marine Corps Police Department, MCLB Albany, said.
“It is a way for the community to reach out to the law enforcement side and report anything they know or believe to be in violation of the law,” Jack said.
Gunnery Sgt. Joel Campos, provost sergeant, MCPD, MCLB Albany, noted people should pay attention to things that are out of the norm in their workplaces and base housing neighborhoods.
“The most important step is for the base community-at-large to maintain a healthy vigilance against those who might want to harm or steal,” Campos quoted from usmceagleeyes.org.
The idea is for the base “community to be engaged in its own safety – your family, your community, your Marine Corps,” Campos added.
Digital photos may also be uploaded to the website in addition to information provided, Casey said.
Information and/or photographs provided on the website are reviewed daily by base law enforcement officials.
“All information provided to the site is verified and evaluated by law enforcement,” Casey said. “All photos are checked against other pieces of information and any patterns that (may) emerge, which may in turn reveal potential criminal activities.
“When in doubt, report it,” he added. “All information and photos are valuable and may be relevant to much larger criminal issues. Remember, a little bit of information can go a long way to crack a case - one tip, one lead.”