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La Conner might sport a new look in the months ahead.

Plans are to have walking around town “eyes and ears” as Town officials focus on reducing vandalism, break-ins, robberies, graffiti tagging and other local damage that has seen an uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Ramon Hayes is advocating formation here of a volunteer citizen’s patrol to fill the void when Skagit County Sheriff’s Office deputies are assigned, on call elsewhere or beyond the La Conner detachment’s hours.

“We need it,” Hayes told the Weekly News. “It would give us an extra set of eyes and ears. The sheriff’s office can’t always be here.”

Hayes addressed the topic after an October armed robbery on First Street and having fielded phone calls from residents hit by home and vehicle break-ins.

“More and more stuff has been happening (during the pandemic),” said Hayes.

Launching a citizen’s patrol in La Conner hinges on the Town acquiring a surplus sheriff’s office vehicle, he said. Hayes and Town Administrator Scott Thomas believe that might happen early next year.

“We could do it early in 2021, as soon as we can get a vehicle,” Hayes said. “We’re working on the sheriff’s timeline right now. It could be from an auction or one that is being retired. We don’t know at this point if it will cost us nothing or a couple thousand dollars, but certainly not much more than that.”

The sheriff’s office would administer the citizen’s patrol and train its members, he said.

“That way,” said Hayes, “we can benefit from their expertise.”

The patrol’s scope would be shaped by public input, he vowed.

“That’s always a good thing,” said Hayes, who favors conducting a community survey and related outreach beforehand.

Hayes said residents need not be concerned about potential citizen’s patrol over-reach.

“There won’t be any vigilantes,” he insisted. “That sort of thing just isn’t supported by the data.”

Anxiety spawned by the pandemic makes the timing right for forming a citizen’s patrol comprised of concerned and committed neighbors, Hayes said.

“I’m afraid,” he stressed, “that we’re not through with COVID-19 yet.”