Launching a Citizens on Patrol unit for downtown Towson has not been a walk in the park for retiree Roger Proehl.

To make it successful, he's banking on a whole different generation — college students — to lend their eyes and ears to keep the area safe.

The seed to start a downtown COP was planted in Proehl's mind when he looked down from his 10th floor balcony at the Ridgely Condominium one night.

He saw skateboarders on the roof of the Ridgely's mid-rise garage. They were jumping high, soaring back and forth, laughing. They didn't belong there, but they were harmless, he thought.

Later, he learned they smashed in a window to enter the room that contained mechanical equipment to operate the elevator. They had done some damage.

He said he realized then that downtown residents not only had to keep track of what was going on in their neighborhood, they had go further and report to police what didn't look right.

When Towson Area Citizens on Patrol co-directors Pat France and Janice McGregor mentioned last year they had thought for years about starting a COP unit for downtown Towson, Proehl took the lead.

But mounting a COP for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from Towsontown Boulevard to Joppa Road between Bosley Avenue and the Virginia Avenue area has been problematic.

Although several people have stepped up to help, "Most of the downtown residents live in apartments or condos," France pointed out.

"They don't feel as vulnerable as the residents of surrounding neighborhoods who live in houses," he said. "They don't have as vested an interest."

The majority of the downtown residents of the area are young and too busy or older citizens who might have the time but, "don't want to be on the streets at night," Proehl said.

To fill the gap, he has been in contact with Towson University and Goucher College, hoping to engage students in the cause.

"Students will be able to walk at night," he said, noting he'd like to get an arrangement in place before school starts in September.

Patrolling interest

The seed of Proehl's interest in keeping his neighborhood safe was sown years ago. He and his partner left Baltimore city 16 years ago and moved to Towson after his partner was nearly killed by kids who forced their way through their front door and beat him with a lead pipe.

In Towson, there's a need for COP even though the area includes the Baltimore County Police Precinct 6 station, according to Virginia Towers resident Janette Dombrowski, who has joined forces with Proehl.

She recalled how the big, new, flat-screen television in the 15th floor common room of her building lasted only one night — even though it was behind a locked cage.

"And we've had break-ins," said Dombrowski, 66, who has lived on Virginia Avenue for three years. "It's supposed to be a secure building, but sometimes residents don't turn in their keys or a door is left open."

Ridgeley resident Marty Winder, a retired Verizon lineman who has joined the cause, said crime in Towson is nothing like downtown Baltimore, where he used to live and where gunshots in the alley weren't unusual, he said. But there are construction sites that are "sitting ducks," and parks that should be patrolled.

Like the 24 other all-volunteer Towson-area COP units, the downtown unit would act as additional eyes and ears for county police. COP volunteers do not confront bad guys — they simply inform police about anything that looks wrong or out of place, leaving officers to sort it out.

COPs operate on the basis of residents volunteering several hours a week for assigned shifts, biking, driving or walking through their neighborhoods, usually in pairs.

Students of night life

One issue that distinguishes Towson's downtown area from neighborhoods is liquor. For example, Dombrowski, an admitted night owl, talks about drunks and fights she sees on the lot behind Recher's after the bars close at 2 a.m.

But some say recruiting college students not only raises the prospect of one group of students keeping tabs on another, it also may raise a liability issue.

Drunken behavior could turn hostile and threaten the safety of COP patrollers, Winder said. And that could affect the coffers of schools that encourage students to participate.

"It would be nice to have college students, but there might be problems legally," he said. "We'd have to resolve liability issues, especially with how sue-crazy we are. I think we have more lawyers in Towson that we have regular people."

Proehl thinks students may need an incentive — for example, a discount on school textbook prices. France disagrees.

"The whole principle behind COP is volunteerism," said France. "What students might not understand is that the volunteer experience can pay off in other ways. It can actually open doors for them."

Both Goucher and TU are reviewing Proehl's proposal.

"I'm considering it, but I see some challenges," said Dirron Allen, TU's director of student activities. "I'm not sure the students would be developmentally ready for this. We need more information."

Goucher spokeswoman Kristen Keener said the COP request is still a topic of discussion at this point.

"We need internal vetting before making any commitments," she said, noting that legal counsel and the school's public safety office would be involved.

"There are concerns. We want to be good stewards of the community, but we don't want to put the students or the college at risk."

Proehl knows it may take a while to set up a downtown COP, he said.

"I'm realistic," he said. "We're moving forward step by step."

Meanwhile, Proehl, Dombrowski and Winder meet Thursdays evenings to conduct their own patrol.

"We walk around for about two hours and check out the whole place." Winder said. "Just the fact that we are on the street can be a crime deterrent."

Those interested in joining or finding out more may call Pat France, vice president of Towson Area Citizens on Patrol, at 410-828-5564.