Greetings, Welcome to the March 2010 issue of the Westover Division Response Area 3 monthly community letter. In this issue you will find crime reviews for the month of February 2010 as well as an article from Captain Patterson regarding citizens assisting police with fighting crime. You will also find an article about the forming of the South Blvd Latino Business Owners Coalition. Please share this document with other members in your community. Public awareness of crime and crime patterns is vital to assist in developing lines of communication between citizens and police, as well as forming working relationships between citizens and police. If you or someone you know would like to be added to the distribution list for this document please contact me at newsletter is available in Spanish. I am pleased to report we achieved significant gains in crime reduction for the year 2009 and we are continuing to see gains thus far in 2010. More importantly, bonds have been established with many community members and businesses throughout the year. There has been great communication between citizens and police which has resulted in cases being solved that otherwise would not have. I am grateful to all of you who have reached out to us, the police, to express concerns, pass along information, or participate in community meetings or events. I look forward to getting to know more of you as we partner together to fight crime in our neighborhoods. Best regards Sergeant Jacquelyn Hulsey March 2010 CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Pictured above is the map of Westover Division Response Area 3. The response area is bordered by South Blvd. to the west and Woodlawn Rd. to the north. Major commercial areas in the response area include the South Blvd. corridor, Park Towne Village, and Park Selwyn Terrace. The majority of the response area is comprised of residential neighborhoods including Madison Park, Montclaire, Starmount, and others. Pinewood Elementary School, Montclaire Elementary School, Starmount Elementary School, and Smith Language Academy Middle School are also in the response area. The Lynx Light Rail runs along the border of the response area, and the Tyvola Station and Archdale Station are located within our boundaries. The Response Area encompasses 3.9 square miles of land area and 49 street miles. The approximate population is 12,698. Captain’s Corner Residents & Friends, The officers, detectives, supervisors of the Westover Division and I are elated about the strides that have been made to reduce crime and keep your community safe. The successes we experienced in 2009 and are currently experiencing are due to your willingness to partner with us to impact crime. The Westover Division is presently experiencing a 17.9% reduction in violent and property crimes for the year. In the past few months residents--like you—have been instrumental in providing information to help us apprehend dangerous offenders, which in turn has reduced crime. Mr. Todd Alexander is an example of this. On January 28, 2010 Mr. Alexander assisted CMPD officers in locating a subject who robbed the Wachovia Bank at 6101 South Blvd. Mr. Alexander observed the suspect leaving the bank with a bag of money and followed him to the light rail station. He then flagged down 2 officers who quickly took the suspect into custody. Mr. Alexander’s swift response to this situation enabled the suspect to be taken into custody without incident and prevented another robbery from occurring. The Westover Division salutes Mr. Alexander for his efforts! Chief Monroe presented him a Certificate of Commendation in appreciation of the work done. We encourage each of you to call 911 if you see crime taking place or suspect that crime is occurring in your community. Our officers stand ready to investigate any tips and follow up on information you may have. In addition, you may notify Crimestoppers and possibly receive compensation for your tips that lead to an arrest. The number is (704)334-1600. As always, it is a pleasure serving as your captain. Please feel free to email me any concerns you may have or to alert me of the great work our officers are doing. Also, if you are interested in serving as a volunteer for CMPD or in your community, please let me know. You may contact me by email at epatterson@cmpd.org Best Regards, Stella Patterson CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter South Blvd Latino Business Coalition to ensure a smooth start. We will also provide direction for meeting topics and guest speakers to attend future meetings. We anticipate being invited to all future meetings to provide crime updates and other valuable information, as well as to just get to know the businesses and people in our Division. We also anticipate greater communication from within the Latino community to inform us of issues or concerns needing police attention. I would like to thank Alfredo Cevallos of Global Sports for hosting the meeting at his business. I would like to thank Saul Flores, Jose Reyes, and Efrain Ortiz for their participation in organizing and planning this first meeting. Without their assistance this meeting would not have been the success it was. CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter The South Blvd corridor continues to thrive and play a part in the vitality and livelihood of Charlotte. Much of the reason South Blvd has prospered during this economy is due to the Latino businesses and overall Hispanic population that make the South Blvd corridor their home. Many of the Latino business leaders along the corridor are looking for more ways to improve their businesses, improve their relationship with police, and share information within their community. On Thursday, March 4, 2010, officers of the Westover Division Response Area 3 and business leaders in the Latino Community along South Blvd held a meeting to begin forming the South Blvd Latino Business Owners Coalition. The meeting was very successful and will lay the ground work for a strong and organized coalition. The coalition will belong to and be managed by the committee members comprised of business leaders and other community activists. The direction the coalition takes will be decided by the community. The Police Department’s role in forming the coalition will be one of support and guidance. We will assist the coalition in the early planning phase Summary of significant February events: threatening her with a knife. The male suspect was charged and arrested. the Grand Oaks Apartments. The vehicle has not been located. one of the males cut the other male in the finger with a knife. This incident occurred at the Pinetree Apartments. Apartments. A parent was breaking up the fight when another male came up to the fight location and pointed a gun at one of the teenage boys. This suspect was identified and is being investigated by the CMPD Firearms Division. Rd. The vehicle has not been recovered. CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter February 2010 Crime Statistics February 2010 Incident Type Frequency Larceny from Auto 15 Larceny-Shoplifting 12 Larceny-Other 8 Aggravated Assault-Knife 2 Auto Theft 2 Larceny from Building 2 Aggravated Assault-Gun 1 Residential Burglary 1 Total 43 There is very little significant crime to report on for February of 2010. Westover Division Response area 3 continues to see improvements and crime reductions for the year. As of this writing the response area is at a 52% reduction in violent crime, a 26% reduction in property crimes, and an overall 30% reduction in Part 1 crime. As the weather warms and people are out more the opportunity for crime increases. We anticipate a challenge ahead of us to sustain the reductions we are currently enjoying. We look forward to your cooperation in assisting us to combat crime by notifying us of any issues, concerns, or suspicious activity near your home or business. Larceny from Auto Locations – February 2010 Residential Burglary Locations – February 2010 CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Crime Prevention Tips: Larcenies from Auto the intent to steal an item from within the vehicle, as opposed to stealing the vehicle itself. Although these larcenies from auto occur at any time and at any location, the majority of them are occurring in medium to large sized parking lots at business locations or apartment buildings. Citizens are often leave items in plain view in their vehicles which are being stolen. The vehicles are being entered either through an unlocked door, or by force, such as breaking a window or prying the door open. Items commonly stolen are GPS units, MP3 music players, cellular phones, briefcases/handbags, sunglasses, and even loose change lying in cup holders or ash trays. To minimize the risk of becoming a victim, please remove all visible evidence of these items from your vehicle. This would include items such as power cords or mounting devices as these items may lead a suspect to believe the electronic device is stored somewhere else in the vehicle. Residential Burglaries leaves the victims feeling violated and uncertain as to their safety. The burglaries in Response Area 3 tend to occur during daylight hours when no one is in the residence. As a general rule, a suspect breaking into a home is after property and does not want to encounter a resident. This is why these incidents commonly occur while individuals are at work. This does not mean you should not safeguard yourself from an intrusion during the evening. Please be sure to keep your doors and windows secure, and employ the use of lighting, hedge trimming, and other safety tips to keep your home safe and unappealing for would be burglars. If you would like an officer to evaluate your home for safety and security feel free to contact the Community Coordinator Officers at the Westover Division, 704-432-2442. Please be alert and aware of activity in your neighborhood. Encourage your neighbors who are home during the day to take an active role in watching the neighborhood as well. If you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood report it to police by calling 911. Residents are sometimes reluctant to call police and report a suspicious person because they fear they may be wrong. We (the police) would rather respond and not be needed versus not being called and have a break-in. Another crime tactic employed by burglars is to knock or ring a doorbell to see if a resident is home before breaking in. This is rare, but does occasionally occur. If you are home and receive an unexpected knock at the door make your presence known by announcing a statement through the shut and locked door. A simple statement such as “I’m busy!” will alert a thief to your presence and discourage an unwanted encounter with you. Auto Thefts complexes, business locations, or other parking lots. Vehicle theft from a private residence in Response Area 3 is rare, but does occasionally occur. To minimize your chances of becoming a victim of Auto Theft remember to park in well lit areas, close to buildings or other people. Keep your car doors and windows secured, and consider extra security measures such as audible alarms or “The Club”. Do not leave a car running or with the keys inside while unattended. This is an invitation for an opportunistic thief. This is also a violation of City CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Ordinance and officers are actively enforcing the ordinance by issuing citations. Citizens often ask “What if I have a vehicle with the remote start feature?” Our response is that the potential thief may not realize the engine will shut off when the vehicle is entered. The thief may still break a window to access the car, and ultimately a crime is still committed. Other Crime Tips: Please record the serial numbers of your valuable items in a secure place. Remember, if you save the serial numbers only on your computer and your computer is stolen you won’t be able to provide the information to police. Serial numbers are crucial to police to be able to recover property and develop suspects in cases. Photograph jewelry and other valuables that don’t have a serial number. Engraving is another excellent way to identify your property and deter thieves. If you are going to engrave your property, engrave your driver’s license or state identification number on the item. Do not engrave your social security number for security reasons. We have engravers at the Westover Division office we will gladly loan you. During school hours watch for and report truant juveniles to police. Juveniles absent from school and wandering neighborhoods and shopping centers will likely create mischief or commit crimes. Westover Division has School Resource Officers and a truancy officer who are dedicated to tracking juvenile offenders, monitoring school attendance, and returning truant youths to school. A call to 911 to report truancy will assist them in doing their jobs. If you see suspicious activities please don’t disregard them. Trust your instincts and call 911. If you see someone lurking around your neighbor’s home call 911 first and then call the neighbor. While waiting for police be the best witness you can be. Don’t approach the potential offender. Just look for as many identifying features about the person or vehicle as you can safely observe. CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter At the last Madison Park Home Owners Association meeting we were discussing security products to secure a door and prevent burglars from kicking in your door. Here are the two products I am familiar with: NightLock at Door Jamb Armor at CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Block your doors with "Nightlock" to be sure! O Flimsy door frames and wood trim break right through when forced. The withstand tremendous force. A maximum security to your entry doors. Guard against entry door kick ins. Home alarm security systems try to scare the intruder away, and call police to the scene. Nightlock stays with you night and day, providing serious protection. - - - FOR CEMENT FLOOR MOUNTING - - - - - Only Turn any door into a security door. before they start. Door Jamb Armor is Real door security and effective jamb repair in one kit. Your Locks won't work without it... Door Jamb Armor is simply jamb repair solution. new or existing door to help keep intruders out. Door Jamb Armor can also be used to repair a previously damaged jamb and can be installed in under an hour by the average do-ityourselfer. All pieces are made of galvanized steel and are powder coated so they will stand up to harsh weather and can be painted to match your door. You will barely notice the steel door armor, once it's installed. Door Jamb Armor will allow you to turn any door into a security door that's attractive and economical. Click the links below to find the Door Jamb Armor application that will fit your door. Door Jamb Armor is available at Lowe's, HD Supply and other local distributors. Please view our locate a dealer near you. Community Meetings and Events: CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Madison Park Community Meeting Selwyn Park Community Meeting 7:30 PM Meet quarterly – Date to be determined Second Monday of each month 4800 Wedgewood Dr. Wedgewood Baptist Church Starmount Community Meeting Meet annually – Date to be determined Montclaire Community Meeting 7:00 PM Fourth Monday of each month Montclaire III Community Meeting Archdale Church of Christ Meet annually – Date to be determined 2525 Archdale Dr. If you have an event you would like advertised here please contact me at CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter
Madison Park
March 2010 Westover Area 3 Newsletter
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Charlotte, North Carolina