- Town 'n Country wins the City of Tallahassee's Large Neighborhood of the Year Award. That goes to an area with more than 200 homes.
- Neighbors credit their safety and support initiatives, including a strong neighborhood crime watch.
- Watch the video to hear from neighbors about why this award matters to them and to find out more from the Tallahassee Police Department about the benefits of establishing a solid neighborhood watch.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Town and Country neighborhood wins the City of Tallahassee's Large Neighborhood of the Year Award.
It's an honor that neighbors here have been working towards with several initiatives focusing on safety, community, and support.
One Northwest Tallahassee neighborhood is getting the recognition it's been working hard for. The Town 'n Country community recently won the City of Tallahassee's Large Neighborhood of the Year award. That goes to an area with more than 200 homes.
"It's a well-kept community, it really makes you feel safe," said Thomas Saunders, a neighbor in the area.
His partner, Curt Davenport, added that the feeling of safety is just one reason this neighborhood stands out. Davenport and Saunders have lived here for three years.
"If someone does something, we're probably going to text each other like did you see this," said Davenport.
That's so everyone feels reassured and to ensure they keep their finger on the pulse of the community, said Josie Fliger, Neighborhood Association President.
Fliger said they connect neighbors in many ways, including community events, morning and afternoon walking groups around the area, a quarterly newsletter, and social media.
Fliger cited these initiatives as reasons why she believes they won the award.
"We come together, we see problems if we can address them together as one voice, it's often more impactful," said Fliger.
According to the Tallahassee Police Department, these close-knit relationships can help crack down on crime.
They're able to share when something seems unusual or odd and they communicate that to us," said Officer David Alford with the Tallahassee Police Department.
In 2024, TPD received 125 calls for service in the Town and Country neighborhood.
Alford said areas with active neighborhood watches often track higher levels of crime, initially.
"We're able to make and solve crimes because they're reporting when things are unusual but then eventually that does lead to a reduction in crime," said Alford.
Neighbors said the recognition from the City shows them they're on the right path to keep growing successfully as a community.
Beyond safety, Fliger said the award celebrates the importance of connection and friendship here.
"We're social creatures," said Fliger. "We're not meant to live alone and on an island and when we check on each other everybody is happier, they're healthier, they live longer."
If you'd like to start a neighborhood watch in your area, the Tallahassee Police Department requires you to meet twice a year to be called a crime watch, that can be over Zoom. Officer Alford said you can reach out to the police department to help facilitate this process.
