View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2006 > June > 14 > Entry
Holy Batman! How do we protect ourselves?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just about everyone involved in the teaching and discussion of police organization and management of crime in both urban and rural areas agree that police need the help of the citizens to be effective in deterring crime and putting bad guys in jail. Eyes and ears, right? Thus the creation of community policing.
I was speaking to a homeowner’s group one evening and upon hitting on the point that the police need help in fighting crime a small child said, “Why don’t you just send up the signal for Batman?” I thought that was cute. I relayed the story to my friend Sully who nodded but didn’t say anything. Later still, in the conversation, I was going over some other crime-suppression options that we were looking at. Sully looked perplexed, so I asked him, Why the confused look?”
He asked, “So the Batman thing is out?” (Sully had a drinking problem but had gone to rehab. He now claimed to have periodic involuntary fatty-tissue releases on the brain.)
But, for the rest of us, it’s pretty easy to see how the police need the resources of the public.
The Neighborhood Watch Program
In early 1972, around the time Keith Richards was first learning to climb palm trees, the National Sheriffs Association developed a model program for today’s Neighborhood Watch programs. At that time chiefs of police and sheriffs from around the country were requesting a program that would squelch the increasing burglary rate across the United States.
Part of the rise in burglary was due to more women leaving the home and joining the working community. This left many homes empty during the day and thus the opportunity to commit burglary.
The organization and implementation of Neighborhood Watch soon showed significant results in, not only residential burglary, but other crimes as well.
To me, “opportunity” is the key to everything in the wonderful world of crime. Almost all criminals are opportunists. There are some very stupid criminals but most of them are already in jail. The ones who remain out, do so in part because they pick and choose. Don’t get me wrong, they screw up all the time because no plan is perfect. For the most part, however, they strive to find a level of comfort in knowing this particular location they’ve chosen to commit the crime offers little risk of being caught.
Again, there are exceptions, such as the guy who led police on a car chase only to stop for coffee or the guy who robbed the convenience store and then stepped across the street to have a beer. Forget them. They’re fun but not plentiful.
Here are some frequently asked questions from folks who learn about Neighborhood Watch for the first time:
—In Neighborhood Watch, I understand that you watch the neighborhood. Is that true?
— Do you issue guns?
— Do we have to be present?
— When things are going down, can we roll out?
— Will we be allowed to say things like “10-4?”
— Do we get a discount on doughnuts?
I take some things for granted. Like maybe the basics. Some neighborhoods organize weekend patrols by either walking or by using cars, bikes, or whatever means, in order to cover the neighborhood. Most don’t actively patrol, but do keep an eye out for suspicious stuff like people driving around at night with no lights on or cars parked in front of home of people gone for the day or out of town. In many, many burglary reports, the officer noted the neighbor saw something that he or she thought was a bit strange and even suspicious but passed it off as no big deal and probably explainable. This is known as “It happens everywhere but here” syndrome.
Bad guys love those people. They count on getting some edge on time or circumstances that allows them to get in and get out without getting shot, bitten by the dog, pepper sprayed, tasered, and/or arrested. This is what criminals call a good day.
Does Neighborhood Watch make a difference?
Yes it does — but like everything else, you have to put some work into it. You need to have goals. The big picture is this: You want to create the PERCEPTION that your neighborhood has eyes and ears everywhere, or create some good paranoia. Think about this: If you are planning to do something illegal, you automatically create pressure on yourself NOT to get caught. You can’t have that on your mind without some degree of paranoia.
Let’s say you’re casing a neighborhood looking for a good target. “Casing” and “Target” are fancy police words for “checking out the area” and “house to break into.” What you see and hear there will affect your decision if, or not, you have a level of comfort working this particular neighborhood and if so, which house you would select. There are sorts of things that could go wrong and believe me, except for those guys whacked out on drugs, all of them have a checklist in mind of what could go wrong. We want to give them the perception that this is not the right place to select.
Obviously, the next question is, “How do we do this?”
COMING THURSDAY: Tips for Neighborhood Watch
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By JKO
June 14, 2006 3:48 PM | Link to this
I hope that we can conclude with more effective means in reaching this objective.
*Note to all Virginia Highland residents, there is an “ipod theif” in the area. My roommate awoke to his window smashed yesterday on our quiet street. The theives left a set of golf clubs (valued at approx. $2000) and cash in the glove compartment. The same thing happened to a friend who lives around the corner and cops said there have been numerous incidents in the area.
The bottom-line is that we, the residents and citizens, must keep our eyes and ears open and report suspicious individuals b/c APD has their hands much too full to worry about petty ipod theives.
By Regina
June 14, 2006 5:12 PM | Link to this
In my neighborhood, we have had an influx of pre-teen and teenage boys who frequent the neighborhood in groups. Some live in the neighborhood but some are coming from other nearby areas. This causes a sense of uneasiness. Some of them play basketball at a nearby home and whenever a car nears the home, they intentionally stand in the road to prevent the car from passing. Then, they take their time moving out of the road. It is meant to intimidate the homeowners.
Statistics state violent crime is on the increase. We can look at the news reports on the increased number of home invasions in Metro Atlanta. I truly feel the number of single mother homes, the lack of a father figure, or the prevention by the mother to have the father’s involvement in the children’s lives directly impact the crime rate.
By Stephen
June 14, 2006 5:42 PM | Link to this
Ah the iPoddie thief.. JKO meantioned that a window had been smashed… a nice set of golf clubs oh and of course money in the glove box…
Well DUH! Looks like someone left it out in the open YET again and then getting on their knees begged someone to steal the valuables out of the car.
Folks… If you can pick it up, carry it, and it has value don’t leave it in the silly car!
Next time take it out and put it some place safer!
By Elizabeth
June 14, 2006 6:46 PM | Link to this
In many, many burglary reports, the officer noted the neighbor saw something that he or she thought was a bit strange and even suspicious but passed it off as no big deal and probably explainable. This is known as “It happens everywhere but here� syndrome.
True story: The house next to ours was being “burgled”. Neighbor across the street saw a nice looking young man sitting on the lawn of said house talking on his cell phone. (Gee, think he could have been the “look-out”?) Thinking he was cute, she waved. She thought it was kind of peculiar that someone was sitting on the front lawn talking on their cell phone, but he was cute so he couldn’t have been a burglar…right??!! (Rolling of eyes taking place right now.)
Great piece of advice I got from a cop in Suwanee. Put a 25 watt bulb in the light fixture on your back porch. Leave it on EVERY night. It illuminates the back door enough so someone breaking in can be seen but the 25 watt bulb doesn’t break the bank!
Here’s my “helpful hint”: If you have a dog, no matter how big or small, don’t teach it NOT to bark if someone approaches your house. Let it sound the alarm! You can train it to stop barking when you give a command, but dogs are GREAT for letting you know when someone is outside. Also, if your dog is constantly going over to the door or window and not barking but has the hair on it’s neck and back standing up and is growling or whining, and something just doesn’t feel right to you, call the police to have an “area check” made of your house. Dogs have unbelievable insticts and can sometimes sense when someone is outside even if they can’t see or hear them. Just my two cents…
By Cletus Snow
June 14, 2006 7:37 PM | Link to this
Don’t leave anything of value in your car and do not lock it,then they wont have to break the window to check.take the keys out unless you want the car to go away.I once left the ignition key in a car I didn’t like for years,it never did get stolen, it might scare them
By rob
June 15, 2006 3:36 AM | Link to this
yep it’s always someone else’s fault. Leave the ipod in a locked car, too bad.
The intimidators in the streets playing BBall couldn’t have learned the behavior at the breakfast table; The dinner table. Gots to be someone else’s fault.