The patrol group's active supporters also include Honolulu police Weed & Seed officers Eddie Iona, Fumi Muraoka and Art Takamiya, and recently elected State Rep. Kymberly Pine, R-43rd ('Ewa Beach, West Loch).

Waiwaiole-Cabos, 50; Wells, 62, and Jay, 52, decided in August to take a stand and make their neighborhood safer. They've done five neighborhood patrol walks since October, and while it's too early to say they've made a dent in crime, they know they are sending a message — to criminals, as well as the community.

The patrol's membership has increased 10-fold in its two months of existence, evidence that the effort is taking root.

Jo Ann Wells, left and Vondell "Cissy" Waiwaiole-Cabos, of Ewa Beach, are founding members of a citizens' security patrol to make their neighborhood safer. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

The looping two lanes of 'Ewa Beach Road, which parallels Fort Weaver Road, is an area where drug dealing, gambling and drinking often occur in vehicles parked along the roadway or at nearby 'Ewa Beach Park. Houses where suspected criminal activity takes place are known to police and most residents.

The neighborhood is in a designated Weed & Seed area. A Weed & Seed designation comes with a coordinated law enforcement, social services and community group effort to drive out criminal activities, primarily those involving illegal drugs, and with grants for community projects. It also means drug dealers caught within 1,000 feet of a park, gymnasium, playground or anywhere children gather can be hit with double the maximum sentence for federal drug convictions.

'Ewa Beach Road is about a mile long and dimly lit in many sections. It's spooky at night and there's a feeling of danger, even with a large group.

The intent of the patrol is to show strength in numbers and make people engaged in criminal activity feel uncomfortable.

Nothing like that took place three months ago, when the three women took their first walk accompanied by Jay's husband, Ron, and officers Muraoka and Takamiya.

"We felt apprehensive about being out there drawing attention to ourselves," Jay said of the first walk. "It was real short. People wanted to just stay in their house and mind their own business."

With HPD's help, the women offered a security walk presentation to their neighbors before a second walk. They also received some advice and training from Garcia and the Guardian Angels. Ten people, including Garcia and Officer Muraoka, did the second walk, and the number increased to 24 by the third walk on Dec. 7.

Thirty people, including the police and Guardian Angels, participated in the fourth walk, which is the first time the neighbors on patrol went into nearby 'Ewa Beach Park.

"That was a real eye-opener," Jay said. "I didn't know homeless were living in the park and about all the drinking and hanging out going on in the parking lot."

The stretch of Fort Weaver Road from 'Ewa Beach Road to the community park has houses on the makai side, while the mauka side is crowded with parked vehicles.

"See that van?" Guardian Angel and 'Ewa Beach resident Eric Costanios said, pointing to a vehicle parked near a bus stop on Fort Weaver Road. "When the light is on, they're gambling inside. They see us coming and light goes off."

The play is usually a dice game or pitching quarters, according to Costanios.

Looking at the van, HPD's Iona observed, "We made an arrest outside (the van) at the bus stop a couple months ago."

Garcia points to a suspected gambling house before shifting his attention to an approaching black sedan, which suddenly makes a U-turn on Fort Weaver Road and speeds off. "As soon as they see the patrol, they take off," Garcia said.

"The next time we do this, maybe we'll put a decoy car up the road so they can't do that," Iona said.

The patrol passes a Mazda pickup with a canopy top parked near the park entrance and Iona and Muraoka stop to talk to the driver. Several Guardian Angels position themselves behind the Weed & Seed officers to cover them.

Muraoka moves to the rear of the truck, opens the canopy and finds a man and woman inside. The officers do not intend to arrest anyone during this walk.

"That guy," Iona said to an observer eying the thin, stringy-haired man being questioned by Muraoka, "is an ice puppy."

The patrol has made its way into the darkness of the park and finds illegal campers on the beach and people sleeping in the pavilion. Iona said police had cited campers on the beach a few days earlier.

"Same chronics," Iona said to one of the Guardian Angels as they approach a pickup truck in the parking lot.

Slowing down, Iona asked the two men seated in the truck, "you guys drinking?" The men answer yes and are told "go home and do it there."

"On Monday mornings before the park keeper starts work, this place is littered with beer bottles," Iona said.

The patrol returned to Waiwaiole-Cabos' house at 8:10 p.m., satisfied their visibility has sent a clear message.

During the walk, the citizens group signed up nine new recruits.

"I was surprised at the number of people," said Jesse Garcia (no relation to "Chico" Garcia), who signed up to join the patrol. "There's a lot of bad stuff happening around here and I want to do something to give back to the community because I got a 2-year-old son."

The security patrol's membership has now increased to 60-plus.

"Not all our members walk, but we have over 120 pairs of eyes watching," Jay said.

The goal is to do twice-a-month patrols and weekly walks with smaller groups, said Jay.

Waiwaiole-Cabos, Jay and Wells have earned respect for what they're doing.

"They went beyond to get this going and it takes courage to do what they're doing," Guardian Angel Garcia said. "The (patrol) numbers are intimidating to criminals."

Rep. Pine added, "This half of 'Ewa Beach used to be a nightmare. These three women have scared a lot of criminals away. They're an inspiration for all of us because they're showing us we don't have to be afraid anymore and can take our community back."

As Wells noted, "We're not alone anymore."