APD Solicits Dog Walkers To Act As Neighborhood Watch In New Program

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Alexandria Police Department is soliciting dog walkers to become law enforcement's eyes and ears in their communities through a new "Dog Walker Watch" program.

According to the APD, "Dog walkers are often outside at different times of the day and may notice unusual activity in their neighborhoods. Dog Walker Watch connects participants with APD officers while providing participants with information and resources to help them recognize suspicious behavior and effectively report what they observe."

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The department says dog walkers are never asked to intervene or put themselves at risk. They are asked only to be observant and report "suspicious or criminal activity" to the Alexandria Police Department through its non-emergency line, to report emergencies to 911 and to report needs for city services to Alex311.

Patch has asked APD what resources it will provide dog walkers and what behavior people will be told to consider suspicious.

A recent high-profile effort to use dogs to promote surveillance technology resulted in backlash after a commercial for Amazon's Ring camera suggesting AI-linked doorbell cameras could be activated remotely to search for lost pets created more concerns about privacy than enthusiasm for the devices.