To address security concerns, Chinatown-International District Community Watch began patrolling the neighborhood from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in June 2020. In its nine months of existence, the group has never had to involve the police in de-escalation efforts, according to Woo, a volunteer who has been with the watch from the start.
In the early days of its operation, the watch attracted about 20 volunteers a night, tapering down to a solid group of 10 in later months. By November, participation had dropped so much that the group transitioned from nightly patrols to hosting watches only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
With fewer volunteers and decreased activity in the winter, the
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