HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. -- The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is looking to start a Weeki Wachee River Crime Watch group after hearing concerns from residents in the area.
- Sheriff's Office to form crime watch group for Weeki Wachee River
- Goal is to make the area enjoyable for residents and visitors
- Residents say there isn't a big law enforcement presence on the river
On any given weekend, the Weeki Wachee River is packed with hundreds of people out on the water enjoying the natural landscape.
“We don’t go out on the weekends that’s a given,” Karen Lenhard said.
Residents like Karen Lenhard stay inside because it’s just too crowded.
“It’s what it’s going to be," she said. "We just have to teach the people to learn how to know the rules of the river.”
That’s where she said the river crime watch group comes into play. The idea is for members to head out onto the river and alert law enforcement of anything going on.
Right now, residents say there isn’t a lot of patrol on the river.
“It’s one deputy for the entre waterways in Hernando County and that would be the coast, lakes, etc,” Shannon Turbeville said.
“I’m hoping throughout what’s going to be found in this there’s going to be a need for more law enforcement actual professional law enforcement on the waterway,” Turbeville added.
Homeowners say a watch group would make the river much more enjoyable for both residents and visitors.
If you’re interested in joining the river crime watch group, there’s a meeting Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7442 on Shoal Line Boulevard at 7 p.m. in Weeki Wachee.