A volunteer neighborhood watch movement in Hawaii is growing into a statewide network, filling gaps left by a short-staffed police force — good news for residents worried about local crime.

• The Aiea group started in 2017 with 11 neighbors in a living room after a string of suspicious activity on their street.
• Honolulu police are short on officers, so residents are being asked to act as the eyes and ears on their own blocks.
• A new nonprofit, the Neighborhood Security Watch Council, wants to link every community into one shared hub for tips and training.
• Group texting and apps like Nextdoor let neighbors flag problems in real time, and direct police contacts mean concerns get followed up.
• The council recently won state funding to help new watch groups get off the ground.

Outlook: Expect more neighborhood watch groups to form across Hawaii as the council uses its new state money to recruit and train volunteers.