But unlike other hikers at American Memorial Park, Morgen and Mike prefer to spend time walking around the Paseo de Marianas and near the hotels and other business establishments.
At first, they did it for health. Now, their one-hour exercise has another purpose: to help the campaign against crime.
“We were walking when one of our friends jokingly told us to ask RB to give us a t-shirt and that way we could be part of the team,” Morgen said, referring to Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council Chairman Ramon B. Camacho, one of the anti-crime advocates who established the Neighborhood Watch Task Force.
Last Tuesday, Morgen and Mike (they’ve requested the Variety not to print their last names although they’re well known in the community) wore a Neighborhood Watch t-shirt that says “For a Safer Community” as they leisurely walked around the tourist district.
“If wearing this would help the community, then why not? We’re walking for our health at the same time we’re walking for the safety of the community,” Morgen said.
Mike said they would like the criminally inclined to know that someone’s watching them.
“They can’t just go by and do whatever they wanted to. That’s not right,” Mike said, as he felt sorry about the robbery incident involving a female Japanese tourist last week in Garapan.
Morgen and Mike are also encouraging Department of Public Safety personnel to “exercise and get paid at the same time.”
They want to know if the substation at the Paseo de Marianas is still operational.
“I don’t think they’re totally visible,” Morgen said, referring to the Koban police officers. “They should be riding a bicycle around. It would be good for the officer, getting exercise and getting paid at the same time, and doing their job and ensuring the safety of the community and the visitors,” Morgen said.
He also encouraged other “walkers” to join them at the Garapan business district.
“If more people join it could send a message to the criminals: stay away because we will get you,” Morgen said.
He said hotel management should allow their personnel, particularly those working outside, to wear the anti-crime t-shirt of the Neighborhood Watch Task Force.
“I think the owners of hotels should encourage their workers because they are the major stakeholders for the safety of the people especially their guests. So if they can wear this t-shirt around here that would be a tremendous boost to the safety of the visitors,” Morgen said.
Camacho said Morgen and Mike are definitely helping the campaign against criminality and he will encourage others to join the two concerned citizens.
The Neighborhood Watch Task Force counts on the support of all law-abiding individuals in the community, he added.
“Do not wait until you become a victim,” he said.
