CrimeWatch LaunchFrom: Yearsley, Greg Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 11:26 AM Subject: CrimeWatch Launch Attachments: BlockCaptains Grid.doc On Sunday, March 25, the Hills formally launched our CrimeWatch Group with a meeting of Block Captains. See the attachment to determine who is the Block Captain for your home. Here is a Basic Summary of the Meeting-- The Group met Officer Matthew Rumatz, who is the Hills new Neighborhood Police Officer. Officer Rumatz has responsibilities throughout North Garland, and the Hills is within his area. Block Captain responsibilities were discussed. In essence, BC responsibilities are no different than, and just an extension of, the role all residents should play in preventing crime and mischief -- WE SHOULD ALL: a.. Be alert to any unusual activity. b.. Do not hesitate to report suspicious activity to the Police. Use 911 if it there is a time-sensitive issue. Note: Your Block Captain, or neighborhood coordinator may be unavailable when you need them, so DON'T waste precious time trying to contact them if there is an in-progress incident. c.. Get to know your neighbors, and perhaps schedule occasional social events (block parties, etc.). d.. Help the HOA keep resident contact information up-to-date. e.. Let neighbors know when their garage doors remain open and unattended for extended periods of time (because over the years garage thefts and vehicle break-ins have been the primary venue for thefts in our neighborhood). Next Steps-- a.. We will consider posting signage that indicates the Hills has an active CrimeWatch group. b.. We will continue to disseminate any news to the neighborhood. c.. At the next Block Captain meeting, we may invite a speaker from another Garland neighborhood where there is an active and successful CrimeWatch Group. d.. We will consider instituting neighborhood patrols to deter and/or detect undesirable activity. e.. We will attend the Quarterly GPD CrimeWatch meetings. Thanks to everyone for doing their part to make the Hills the best neighborhood we possibly can. The incidents we have seen to-date are relatively minor compared to most areas, so let's all do our part to keep our neighborhood safe. Your Hills CrimeWatch Group. <>