The Janesville Police Department is bringing back a 2015 program hoping to light up the city’s Fourth Ward Neighborhood.

Sergeant Jennifer Wehmas is reinstating Operation Porch Light in an effort to reduce crime and make residents feel more safe.

Police officers, police explorers and volunteers will gather at Fourth Ward Park Saturday at noon to distribute free high-efficiency light bulbs to every Fourth Ward household.

They will ask residents to keep the porch lights on at night to better light the neighborhood. Wehmas said it costs less than $6.00 a year to operate each bulb for 9 hours a day.

She cited research which shows better lit areas have less crime and less anti-social behavior.

The light bulbs were donated to Janesville police by local businesses for this purpose, starting back in 2015 when they did the first light bulb distribution.

The volunteers will try to reach as many houses as they can on Saturday but will go out again on Tuesday and Friday, leaving messages for the households they are unable to contact.

Wehmas hopes it can be an opportunity for the neighborhoods to build stronger relationships with the police department and resume the community service put on pause by the COVID-19 pandemic.