ents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage

Public Relations for Utility Companies is very important and yet when we look at all the types of public relations going on with Utility Companies they all seem the same. You have seen them; Turn in your energy hog refrigerator for discount on your utility bills, 25-ways to save water including turning in you toilet for a low-flush volume toilet and information about 411, 611 and 911 services.

This of course is all well and good, but Utility Companies can do more; sometimes you see their logo on the back of a 10K run T-shirt and this is good also. In this case study I wish to pitch the idea of Utility Companies sponsoring or participating in Mobile Neighborhood Watch Patrols and becoming the eyes and ears of the community to reduce crime. Below are some reasons why it is a good idea to include Utility Companies in a community policing effort and receive the public relations goodwill for doing so.

GAS COMPANY: The gas company can really be of great service. They have meter readers that go into neighborhood with scanning devises to read meters and some still have walkers, which go into the actual yards of residents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage

r including turning in you toilet for a low-flush volume toilet and information about 411, 611 and 911 services.

This of course is all well and good, but Utility Companies can do more; sometimes you see their logo on the back of a 10K run T-shirt and this is good also. In this case study I wish to pitch the idea of Utility Companies sponsoring or participating in Mobile Neighborhood Watch Patrols and becoming the eyes and ears of the community to reduce crime. Below are some reasons why it is a good idea to include Utility Companies in a community policing effort and receive the public relations goodwill for doing so.

GAS COMPANY: The gas company can really be of great service. They have meter readers that go into neighborhood with scanning devises to read meters and some still have walkers, which go into the actual yards of residents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage

ase study I wish to pitch the idea of Utility Companies sponsoring or participating in Mobile Neighborhood Watch Patrols and becoming the eyes and ears of the community to reduce crime. Below are some reasons why it is a good idea to include Utility Companies in a community policing effort and receive the public relations goodwill for doing so.

GAS COMPANY: The gas company can really be of great service. They have meter readers that go into neighborhood with scanning devises to read meters and some still have walkers, which go into the actual yards of residents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage

effort and receive the public relations goodwill for doing so.

GAS COMPANY: The gas company can really be of great service. They have meter readers that go into neighborhood with scanning devises to read meters and some still have walkers, which go into the actual yards of residents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage

ents. They may also be willing to put into their bills that they are helping with your neighborhood watch program thus helping alert consumers and public of this program.

ELECTRIC COMPANY: Electric companies have employees who are often in boom trucks and are at a great vantage point looking down at situations from 30 feet in the air. All the while they have two-way communication via walkie-talkie. They tend to have some of the largest fleets in the area and have lots of divisions, which do everything from installation to customer service and education.

UTILITY COMPANY: There are other utility companies in different areas covering a wide variety of services. Different areas have special needs and have utility companies set up to serve those needs. Check to see in your phone book if you have other utility companies, which are not listed here that can help with your program, its coverage, and scope. It makes sense to consider adding community policing to the list of public relations plans and efforts. It will unite the community with the Public Utility and let the citizens know that the Utility Companies are on their team in keeping everyone safe. Consider all this in 2006.