See Who's Making A Difference on the East Side

Larry Simpson: Keeping the Neighborhood Safe

Larry Simpson was your typical East Side resident until a cold January morning in 2007 when a second violent rape occurred four blocks from Simpson’s house. From then on, he knew his duty as a community watchman had begun. Equipped with his trusty flashlight, Simpson went out each morning looking for people lurking in allies around his neighborhood. Knowing that on foot you can only cover so much ground, Simpson and his wife drafted a program with the police that changed his watchman duties forever.

This pilot Community Watch Program works with the St. Paul Police Department and its crime data tracking grids. Each part of St. Paul is split up into 250 grid sections of around 600 houses and 1,200-1,500 people. Grid number 34 is Simpson’s turf and includes Maryland to the South, Edgerton to the West, Arlington to the North and Arcade to the East. 

Part of Simpson’s program included transforming a police squad car into a citizen watch car. Now he can cover twice as much ground in half the time. Since May 1, 2008 Simpson has been driving around the East Side patrolling neighborhoods. He is welcomed by residents in the area and the police are very supportive of his program.

You can catch Simpson out and about with neighborhood kids engaging them in positive activities. He is active with students from Johnson High School painting murals on the sides of grocery stores like the Payne/Ivy Grocery, or traveling around in his community watch car. Simpson’s future goal is to have a watch car designated to every grid in the East Side.

“Feeling like you’re on the street making a difference and being present in the community is the best part,” is Simpson’s response to how he stays focused.