Eighteen-year-old Derren Reynolds drives a Crown Victoria, straps a green light onto his car, and says his efforts to organize "citizen patrols" is a mission to decrease crime in Onset

Reynolds started Onset Community Watch a year ago, but it's not the same as a typical neighborhood watch group in which neighbors simply report suspicious activity.

Community Watch members go on patrol, keeping an eye out for vandalism, large gatherings of groups, and drug deals, Reynolds said.

But Police Chief Richard Stanley calls the citizen group a disaster in the making.

"This is an accident waiting to happen." said Stanley. "[Reynolds] is out there doing building checks and so forth. He's walking into a dangerous situation. Or he may find himself in a situation where he would put my officers in danger."

Community Watch has approximately eight members. Most of them are 18 years old, while a couple are in their 40s and one is 16 years old, Reynolds said.

That has Stanley worried.

"From what I can see, this is a group of kids running around playing policemen," said Stanley. "Take the test. There is a lot more to it."

Stanley believes that community cooperation with police is important, but patrols are a step too far.

"The assistance we've received, especially from the Onset community, has been second to none," Stanley said. "But [Community Watch] works against what we're trying to do, and it is a hazardous situation. I urge people not to get involved with this."

Reynolds argues that his group is non-confrontational, however, and simply reports crimes to the police.

"You would write the description down, keep your distance, call the police, and report it. That's it. You don't confront anybody about it," Reynolds said. "That would jeopardize our safety. That's not the job of a watch group."

Joe Olivieri and Chris D'Anna started a watch group in Wareham Lake Shores nearly a decade ago in an effort to make the neighborhood safer.

The group created a sign-up list for volunteers, and instituted block captains, who concerned residents could call when they observed suspicious activity, Olivieri said.

"If you were walking your dog, … if you had the time to drive around the neighborhood. It's all about contacting the people that live there," Olivieri said. But, he added, "We weren't out there doing a patrol. We weren't taking the place of the police presence."

Eleanor Martin, president of the Onset Bay Association (OBA), said that community involvement is important, as long as police approve.

"Our position from the OBA is that all in the community need to be involved. Whenever someone sees something they feel is not quite right, they should alert the police," she said.

But, she added, "Everything they do should be sanctioned by the police," Martin said. "A neighborhood watch is exactly what it says. It watches and it reports to the police. It doesn't take any action by itself."

Martin said she appreciated Chief Stanley's efforts in Onset. She especially appreciates the new Onset Village Substation, which is staffed by volunteers and serves as an information center and a home base for bicycle and foot-patrol officers.

The idea of a community watch is not new to Onset.

"Crime Watch," an Onset-based group of citizen volunteers, started approximately 20 years ago after the OBA received a grant for safety and other initiatives.

Among its job duties, the group monitored summer events and checked the doors of businesses late at night, said Winna Dean, a member of the OBA's Board of Directors who volunteered with the group.

"We were just the eyes and ears for the police," said Dean, who also serves on the Crime Watch Board of Directors. "When we started making like we were the police, that's when the problem came in."

One particular problem caused Crime Watch to make the front page of the Wall Street Journal in 2009.

George Coleman, the leader of the watch, issued a ticket to a resident for parking in a spot behind the Onset Band Shell during a lunchtime concert. Crime Watch had been given permission to ticket vehicles for parking violations in the mid-2000s.

A dispute ensued, with Coleman allegedly throwing out insults like "stupid" and "retard."

The resident attempted to block Coleman's exit from the parking lot, and Coleman was accused of striking the resident with his car, according to court records.

He was eventually found not guilty. The issue of whether the car actually struck the resident remained inconclusive.

But the damage was done. Crime Watch is now in the process of dissolving, said Dean.

Reynolds was also a member of the Crime Watch during its late years. He opined that things got a little out of hand, but says he believes his organization could be different.

"Crime Watch ruined the reputation of any watch group in town," he said. "Just give [Onset Community Watch] time to redeem itself in a positive way."

Stanley thinks that chance could end up a decision that people will regret.

"We have volunteers that leave the policing to us and leave the patrolling to us," said Stanley. "There are serious issues here. ... Someone is going to get hurt."