Greetings, Welcome to the April 2010 issue of the Westover Division Response Area 3 monthly community letter. In this issue you will find crime reviews for the month of March 2010 as well as an article about the Westover Division bicycle patrols. 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 April 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. WESTOVER BICYCLE PATROL Riding a bicycle has many advantages over a traditional patrol car. Officers on bicycle spend more time in an area and have a vantage point not typical with a car. Officers can weave in and around parking lots, up along sidewalks and walkways near businesses, and through narrow spaces not accessible by vehicle. In neighborhoods officers will patrol through a street more slowly, move in closer to homes and in between apartment buildings and an officer can hear more on a bicycle, such as suspicious sounds or indications of a disturbance. Officers on bicycle are also much more approachable. Citizens tend to talk more to officers on bicycle as it is easier to engage us. I have had some of my best conversations with neighbors and business leaders while out on the bicycle. Overall the bicycle is a great tool for crime prevention, enforcement, and community relations. We are looking forward to another great season of biking in Westover. See you out there. CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter Now that the warmer weather is upon us you will likely see more police officers patrolling your neighborhoods and shopping centers on bicycle. In order for an officer to ride a bicycle for the police department the officer must first attend and pass a week long law enforcement bicycle certification course. We have approximately 7 certified officers in Response Area 3 and numerous more throughout the division. Officers who ride a bicycle do so at their request and it is a desirable position for many officers. We currently have officers on a waiting list to attend the training. The officers who ride bicycles are extremely proactive and community minded officers. Summary of significant February events: Oaks Apartments by two suspects whom they know and have a gang affiliation. drinking together and engaged in an argument. One party cut the other with a small knife. Minor injuries. individual he knows and had done work for. The victim stated the suspect confronted him, struck him, and made reference to the victim “talking trash” about him. Mall. The victim pulled his car over along Tyvola Rd. and the suspect got out of his car, approached the victim, and pointed a gun at him. The incident was classified as a robbery as the suspect snatched the victim’s phone from his hand as he tried to call 911. No injuries. gang members at the Pinetree Apartments. The suspects in this case have been identified and arrested. Blvd and asked the employee “what are you going to give us for free?” The passenger had a gun in his had so the employee handed them 3 pies and the suspects fled. clerk at the counter. Abbey Pl. and was robbed by two suspects in a burgundy Mitsubishi Eclipse. No injuries. CMPD Westover Division: Response Area 3 Newsletter March 2010 Crime Statistics March 2010 Incident Type Frequency Residential Burglary 12 Larceny-Other 11 Larceny-Shoplifting 8 Larceny from Auto 7 Armed Robbery 6 Commercial Burglary 2 Aggravated Assault-Gun 1 Aggravated Assault-Knife 1 Aggravated Assault-Other Weapon 1 Auto Theft 1 Larceny from Building 1 Larceny-Coin Operated Machine 1 Larceny-Pocket Picking 1 Strong Arm Robbery 1 The Westover Division Response Area 3 continues to hold strong with a 31% decrease in overall Part 1 crime for the year to date. We made great gains towards the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010. As expected the warmer weather and increased activity had brought an increase of some types of crime compared to January and February. However, we are still averaging less crime than compared to March of 2009. During the last month we saw a noticeable increase in Residential Burglary in the Montclaire III and Starmount areas compared to the last few months. Officers are concentrating their efforts in these areas daily. We look for your assistance in calling 911 with any suspicious persons or vehicles in your neighborhoods. Don’t hesitate to call 911 with anything that makes you uneasy. Larceny from Auto Locations – March 2010 Residential Burglary Locations – March 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: 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
2010 April 2010 Westover Newsletter
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Charlotte, North Carolina