Wisneski landed the job shortly after moving here from upstate New York with her husband, Brett Fox, a Coast Guard flight mechanic.

"It's a community-organizing job," said Wisneski. "The (crime) issue itself is not my specialty, but getting neighbors to talk to each other and communities to band together for an issue is what drives me."

Since her hiring last September, Wisneski has jump-started 25 programs after finding that only 10 of Mililani's 50 security watches were active a year ago. Sustaining interest is the key to keeping programs active, and she's been doing it by putting out newsletters and organizing activities, such as the recent "National Night Out" celebration at the Town Center of Mililani.

"We were seeing results within three months of hiring Jessica," said Calvin Maeda, Mililani Town Association's general manager for the past 12 years.

Todd Krause and Tiffany Spaeth, volunteers for the Mililani Neighborhood Security Watch, paint over graffiti found at Kipapa Drive tunnel. Andrew Shimabuku • The Honolulu Advertiser

Security-watch programs are the perfect complement to any anti-crime agenda but from previous experience in 17 years as general manager of the Newtown Estates Association, Maeda knew well that the coordinating effort is a full-time job.

"It needs to be constantly upgraded with information flowing between HPD and homeowners," Maeda said, "because it's not (a police) officer's job to be preparing and passing out fliers."

Wisneski has drawn in volunteers with her enthusiasm and energy.

In November, for example, she recruited retired 'Aiea High School band director Lloyd Nakahara to be volunteer coordinator for the Ka'ili'ula Loop neighborhood watch, which had been inactive for about five years. Although he's lived on the Loop for 28 years, Nakahara says he knew only two of his neighbors eight months ago.

Nakahara, 62, has since recruited 18 households, or half of the Loop's residents, and those neighbors have become better friends.

"I definitely feel safer than I did a year ago," Nakahara said. "Jessica has made a big difference. She's helped to raise community awareness by doing different things. One Saturday, we went out and painted over graffiti."

Wisneski worked as a community organizer in New York at the University of Albany, her alma mater, before coming here. In addition to "National Night Out" and graffiti paintovers, Wisneski has organized a community cleanup day at Mililani Waena Neighborhood Park.

"We try to do a special event once a month," said Wisneski, who carries a spray can of graffiti paint remover, a paint brush and paint in the truck of her MTA-issued car in case she comes across a small job that needs attention.

Her hiring has been a blessing for Officer Andrew Bonifacio, HPD's liaison to more than 100 neighborhood security watch programs from Kipapa Gulch to Velseyland in Wahiawa district.

"As far as getting community support and interest, there's been a rise in Mililani," he said. "Because she sets up meetings, makes contacts and does the paperwork, it frees us up to do other things. It's helped the whole district."

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.