Macon city council member Henry Gibson wants to curb crime rates in his area, and he says he believes neighborhood watch groups are the solution.

Curtis Tharpe, who moved into his Macon home 17 years ago, agrees watch groups help keep neighborhoods like his safer.

He says, "We had a break-in down here on the end of Winston, an attempted break-in, and because of people watching, the guy was apprehended."

Tharpe's neighborhood is one of 124 watches in Macon, but only one of six groups in the city's Ward 2, which includes much of Bloomfield and southwest Macon.

Gibson says he wants to see more watch groups and less crime.

"As much crime and problems that we have in the city of Macon, I'm just trying to get people to show interest in their kids, in their neighborhood, in the prevention of crime," says Gibson.

Precinct 4 of the Macon Police Department covers most of Gibson's ward. That area had the most serious crimes last year including robberies, aggravated assault, and car theft.

Gibson hopes more watch groups can change that, but his biggest goal is keeping kids off the streets.

He says, "I would like to see more children at the neighborhood watch meetings, because our schools are having problems with the kids and discipline starts at home."

Gibson plans to hold monthly meetings for everyone who lives in his ward. The next meeting is Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Covenant Life Cathedral at 4543 Bloomfield Road in Macon.

He hopes meetings like this will encourage neighborhoods to start their own groups.

To do that, people can contact Judy Gordon, the city's neighborhood watch coordinator.

She says people can also learn more information by participating in the information sessions throughout October for crime prevention month.