A year — or was it two — ago I wrote a story about a crime watch group in a Lake Highlands neighborhood experiencing relatively little crime. Their low crimes rates resulted from a ton of crime watch participation from residents, and possibly even more significantly, they also voluntarily paid an off duty police officer to patrol their neighborhood.


When mulling over the idea, I first thought, “eh, I really don’t think I can afford another fee or bill” … and then real life hit. A couple car break ins later, I would be more than willing to pay for the extra patrol — sorry for its necessity, but willing nonetheless. In his Dallas Morning News column today, neighbor James Ragland ponders a world where one must pay extra in order to feel safe.