DeKALB – Having grown up in a small town, Jared Burke likes knowing his neighbors and waving hello to those who drive down the street.

Burke, a DeKalb police patrol officer, and his family recently moved to a home at 624 N. 11th St. in the Pleasant Street neighborhood of DeKalb. He’s the first officer to take part in the city’s enhanced resident officer program, which puts an officer in a city-purchased and -renovated home and makes that neighborhood his specialized beat.

“It feels good to help people,” he said. “This program, to me, makes it more personal.”