VHA update : Preserving our Gates

[Gerald Tucker]

Preserving Our Gates Funded by amenity fees and maintained by the District, The Villages has more than 120 gate facilities. The most important function of gates in The Villages is their role in promoting public safety. They do this by aiding law enforcement in crime prevention, crime solving and traffic safety.  Sumter County Undersheriff Chris Haworth indicates that criminal behavior is often a result of a random opportunity such as an unlocked car. Criminals often seek convenient “easy targets”.  The gates with cameras serve as a deterrent as they constitute an inconvenience, and contribute to The Villages having one of the lowest crime rates in Florida.  In addition, Haworth believes that gates play a crucial role in traffic safety by slowing traffic especially in areas where automobiles, golf carts and pedestrians converge. Nehemiah Wolfe, Director of Community Watch, also believes that gates have a calming effect on traffic as they help drivers slow down as they transition from highway driving to driving in residential neighborhoods. He indicates that during his tenure with Community Watch there have been fender benders at the gates but no serious accidents. From a law enforcement perspective, Wolfe, who retired from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office as a lieutenant after 30 years, notes that the staffed gates operate until midnight and are the eyes and ears of the community. Gate attendants not only call law enforcement about suspicious activity but serve as a contact point for residents who are either disoriented or seeking a lost loved one. Law enforcement and Community Watch believe the gates play a prominent role in public safety and preserving the Villages lifestyle.  District Manager Kenny Blocker indicates that the gate system in The Villages is an integral part of the fabric of the community.  As an amenity it is also something that residents can depend on continuing.   Among the benefits residents receive from the gates include preferential treatment when accessing gates, collection of security data to aid in missing person investigations, crime prevention and resolution.  Blocker also believes the gate system contributes to a general sense of wellbeing and community safety enjoyed by Village residents. As an amenity, the gate system can be enhanced but never lessened.  The VHA encourages that any changes to our gate system focus on keeping residents safe.