Michelle Tsai has lived near High Point Park on Madison's West Side for five years, and in the past year neighbors began experiencing problems such as car break-ins that led them to form a Neighborhood Watch for the Highland Village Homeowners Association.

Then last Friday, when they were meeting with Madison Parks Division staff to talk about graffiti, trash and other growing problems in the park, they were told they could be among the first to sign up for a new program as well — a park watch.

"It's a great idea," said Tsai. "The park needs to be watched as much as our homes. Our formal kickoff meeting was two weeks ago, and it may just be coincidence, but we haven't seen any graffiti since then."

Kevin Briski, who took over as Madison's parks superintendent in June, said he has used a park watch — volunteer citizen watchdogs who keep an eye on their neighborhood parks — in other communities.

"Knowing the type of community Madison is and how successful Neighborhood Watch is, it seemed to be a natural ... to have parks partner with police," said Briski.

They worked with crime prevention police Officer Mary Anne Thurber, who oversees Madison's Neighborhood Watch groups, to start Madison Parks Watch. Thurber said the number of requests to start a Neighborhood Watch program has risen dramatically in the past two years. She expects Parks Watch, which she will oversee, will spark similar interest.

"People are seeing more traditionally urban problems erupting in this city," Thurber said. "People are getting involved because they want to keep the Madison they've always known."

At the Parks Watch training Thurber will tell people what to look for — if there's a car, get make and license plate, or if that's not visible, note dents or bumper stickers. For people, look for height, weight or clothes, but also note a direction they go. And she will train them on when and where to report as well.

"We're not asking anyone to go out and say to the naughty people, 'Stop. Halt in the name of the law,' " Thurber said. "We don't want anyone putting on a Superman cape and putting themselves in harm's way. What we want is for them to be aware and to know what to report."

Such a program, added Thurber, is needed in tough fiscal times, especially because Madison has 270 parks.

"The city is getting bigger and our resources are tapped," Thurber said. "We get calls all the time about behavior in parks because it's a natural place to gather."

Common calls include underage drinking, noise, late-night gatherings and graffiti or other vandalism. Police response will continue to be based on the police priority process, but Thurber hopes having people watching may reduce problems.

"If we can train people and empower them, it helps our quality of life," she said.

MADISON PARKS WATCH

To sign up for Parks Watch and request a training session with Madison police, contact Laura Whitmore in the Madison Parks Division at 608-266-5949 or e-mail LWhitmore@cityofmadison.com.