A local chapter of the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan launched a neighborhood watch in the area of Ridge Road in Fairview Township in response to a recent rash of break-ins, said Frank Ancona, the organization’s imperial wizard and president.

Leadership of a local Traditional American Knights chapter contacted the organization’s headquarters in Park Hills, Mo., to find out whether the national organization would sponsor the crime watch, and Ancona said he gave the midstate “klavern” his blessing.

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“It’s just like any neighborhood watch program. It’s not targeting any specific ethnicity. We would report anything we see to law enforcement,” Ancona said. “We don’t hate people. We are an organization who looks out for our race. We believe in racial separation. God created each species after its kind and saw that it was good.”

Residents along Ridge Road woke up to find fliers bearing Ku Klux Klan propaganda at their doorsteps Friday morning.

Neighbors along Ridge Road in Fairview Township, York County, woke up to this Ku Klux Klan flyer on their doorsteps Friday.

The fliers include a depiction of a KKK member in a white robe and hood, and a note that says:

“Neighborhood Watch. You can sleep tonight knowing the Klan is awake.”

PennLive obtained a picture of the flier taken by a resident who received it.

Fairview Township police Sgt. Davis Holland said police are aware of the propaganda, but would not comment further.

Ancona would not divulge information about the local chapter that distributed the flier; nor would he reveal the names of local leadership or other members of the midstate chapter.

A number of people recently called the Traditional American Knights hotline from Fairview Township saying they don’t believe the local police department is doing enough to combat a recent string of break-ins in the area, Ancona said.

He said he doesn’t necessarily believe the accusations against the police are true. But he does believe local police departments can get overwhelmed by crime and could use an extra hand looking out for criminals. Hence, the neighborhood watch.

Nine vehicles were reportedly broken into earlier this month at the FedEx facility off Industrial Drive in Fairview Township. Another man broke into several vehicles in the township in March. But he also was caught. And a robbery attempt at a Fairview Township home was foiled in January after police said the homeowner caught him in the act and pinned him to the ground.

The imperial wizard refused to help PennLive reach out to a local leader to discuss the neighborhood watch because only himself and national leadership are permitted to speak with media, he said.

That mandate exists to prevent others from misrepresenting the organization, Ancona said, referencing Frasier Glenn Miller, the reported former grand dragon of the Carolina Knights who allegedly shot and killed three people at a Jewish community center in Overland Park, Kan., a little more than a week ago.

While not affiliated with the Traditionalist American Knights, Ancona, who denounced Miller in the national press following the incident, said the alleged gunman went “rogue” and gave the KKK a black eye.

Ancona continued to soften his organization during an interview with PennLive on Sunday night.

He said members of the group, which has chapters in every state except Hawaii, are neighbors and colleagues who generally can’t discuss their involvement with the Traditionalist American Knights because of the negative light cast upon the KKK.

People can lose jobs and family and friends when they are traced back to the KKK, Ancona said. And that’s because the klan is “somewhat discriminated against,” he said.

Background checks are run on all potential members, Ancona said. And anyone with serious crimes on their records will not be admitted to the Traditionalist American Knights, he said.

Ancona described Pennsylvania as a “strong Yankee state” for his organization with a large membership base. The group’s “realm of greater Pennsylvania” encompasses West Virginia and western New York.

“Members could be the guy who is delivering your pizza. It could be law enforcement from the local sheriff’s office. It could be the nurse taking care of you in the emergency room,” Ancona said.

He stressed that the KKK is not affiliated with the neo-Nazi and skinhead movements. And Ancona said residents of Fairview Township should be relieved the neighborhood watch is underway.

Ancona said the Traditionalist American Knights consider anyone outside of the KKK “an alien.”

“Anyone who is not part of the klan is considered an alien,” Ancona said. “These are things that band us in this brotherhood.”