Hayes said in a telephone interview yesterday that he feels the crime watch program is a crucial part of the fight against crime.

"The whole day in general was absolutely exhilarating to me," said Hayes, "and I firmly believe that the crime watch movement is going to save the cities and towns of this country."

Cambridge City Councillor Anthony D. Galluccio said he hoped community volunteers got the accolades they deserved.

"Aside from bringing the cities together, which is crucial," said Galluccio, "I think the most important aspect of the day is recognizing the neighborhood crime fighters."

These include Lawrence D. Burke, chair of the Cambridge Crime Task Force, and Vicky Boulrice, neighborhood coordinator for the Cambridge Police Department.

The community spirit of the event was nearly overwhelmed by the preponderance of local government representatives, around whom hovered a modest swarm of TV news cameras.

When former Cambridge mayor Alice K. Wolf emphasized the importance of a "grassroots" effort in fighting crime, there were actually few civilians in attendance, and when participants joined hands across the bridge, their chain only stretched across about 60 or 70 feet of the bridge, reaching neither shore.

There were a numerous police officers in attendance, however, arriving on everything from horses to motorcycles to their own feet to boats.

Harold H. Diggs and Jerry Arroyo, police officers with the Harbor Patrol, cruised the river next to the bridge.

"Normally we work in Boston Harbor, but when the mayor's there and the commissioner's there you go where you gotta go," said Diggs.

"Anything for safety," Arroyo said.