Northampton Borough Police Department is reaching out to the community to reactivate the crime watch program.

“We want to interact with the residents,” reported Police Chief Bryan Kadingo.

The program gives the public an active role in ensuring their neighborhood and community are safe by working with police. Essentially, residents can act as the eyes and ears of the department.

The borough’s program has been defunct for more than a decade.

Police Officer Ryan Grube sent a letter to residents in the borough advising them there will be an initial crime watch meeting 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at Northampton Fire Department, 4 Lerchenmiller Drive. The meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of every month in the fire station’s training room.

Re-establishing the crime watch program is a preventive endeavor. There has not been a spike in crime to prompt such a response, Kadingo said. The police officers and Kadingo have been credited with their patrols and surveillance of neighborhoods.

There will be discussion of serious crimes and what defines such actions at the meeting, Kadingo noted. The meetings will not be a forum for personal issues, rumors and complaints. Speakers will be asked, at times, to address topics of interest.