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| NEWS of the Day - October 6, 2011 |
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on some issues of interest to the community policing and neighborhood activist across the country
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following group of articles from local newspapers and other sources constitutes but a small percentage of the information available to the community policing and neighborhood activist public. It is by no means meant to cover every possible issue of interest, nor is it meant to convey any particular point of view ...
We present this simply as a convenience to our readership ... |
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From Google News
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New Jersey Timoney offers details on plan for police force
Proposal's cost still to be determined for Camden
CAMDEN — While a plan crafted by Camden County officials with the guidance of a former Philadelphia police chief would increase uniformed staffing levels on the streets of Camden by 83 percent, one detail remains unclear: the cost.
Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney, who was hired as a consultant by Camden County in August, gave no indication Wednesday what it would cost to establish a police department with a projected uniform strength of 473 officers.
“The county and mayor's office are working on that,” Timoney said, in a conference call from his home in Miami. “That's best left up to them.”
Timoney was previously quoted as saying there was no certainty a county police department would save money.
The methodology for Timoney's plan is one that was developed over the course of more than a month as he toured the city and interviewed the mayor, police staff and county officials. Timoney applied many of the principles of policing he utilized in New York City, Miami and Philadelphia.
When Timoney was Philadelphia's police chief from 1998 to 2003, Camden's department was significantly larger. Accounting for attrition and January's mass layoffs, the department as of August had 259 officers on staff. An additional 14 are expected to be rehired in the coming weeks through a federal grant.
Between regular patrols, community safety patrols and virtual patrols monitoring crime cameras throughout Camden, 46 officers would be deployed daily within the city limits under Timoney's proposal. An additional 101 officers on duty per day — with the bulk of them assigned to a community policing division — are also part of the plan.
Officers on that beat would be tasked with engaging residents on quality-of-life issues in four geographic districts. Police will be expected to work with community stakeholders to cut down on offenses such as open-air drug dealing. A captain from each district would report to a deputy commissioner.
“What we're looking to have here is having those captains in the four districts really be held accountable for the crime and quality of the life in the area,” Timoney said.
Some officers would work beats themselves in commercial corridors or on directed bicycle patrols.
One veteran officer assigned to each division also would be designated as a Neighborhood Resource Officer to handle organizing community groups, report to district commanders and look at long-term issues facing each area.
Proactive policing, Timoney believes, could go a long way to building better relations with residents.
“When you have the type of policing that's reactive that goes from one assignment to the next, there's an estrangement, a disengagement that happens between cops and the community,” Timoney explained.
“We recognize you need 911 cars, but you need to deal with community leaders basically on a daily basis.”
Under ideal conditions, 20 units would be deployed on day and night patrols. Criminal investigations, sex crimes, missing persons, domestic violence and environmental crimes units also would be established. Camden police currently investigate only serious crimes, a measure implemented by the city following January's layoffs.
“The whole idea of having burglaries going unaddressed and uninvestigated is godawful,” Timoney said.
County officials maintain the city would bankroll the new force if it is to come to fruition and that no other Camden County towns would contribute to its cost.
Nor would officers from other departments be called to serve in Camden City.
Participation in the Camden County Police Department is completely voluntary, but it is something Mayor Dana Redd isn't willing to sign off on right away.
“As she has consistently stated, the mayor will only support a plan that enhances public safety, is cost effective, creates job opportunities for city residents and is equitable to the existing police department personnel,” mayoral spokesman Robert Corrales said.
Freeholder-Director Louis Cappelli Jr. called the plan a work in process and one that must be examined with due diligence by both the county and city.
“There was not enough time within our deadline to sufficiently study Camden City's finances and what it is currently spending in total for its existing force,” Cappelli said. “All elements of the plan need to be studied further.
“What is clear is that public safety is the primary concern in Camden.”
Timoney was paid $15,000 to conduct research and deliver the study.
County officials noted he spent five consecutive days in Camden and made at least two return visits over the course of a little over a month.
The tag of “second most dangerous” city in America doesn't worry Timoney, despite sweeping layoffs the police department endured in January. While it wasn't a bloodless summer, he said it could have been worse.
“There was all sorts of talk of riots and chaos and what have you,” Timoney said. “I think Chief (Scott) Thomson and his crew have done an excellent job under some awful circumstances.”
http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20111006/NEWS01/310060016/Timoney-offers-details-plan-police-force?odyssey=nav%7Chead
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New Jersey
Crime on the Decline in East Brunswick
Uniform Crime Report shows decreases in both violent and non-violent crimes.
by John Saccenti Crime in East Brunswick dropped in 2010 for the third year in a row, according to the state Uniform Crime Report.
The UCR is based on crime statistics submitted to the New Jersey Uniform Crime Reporting System by every state law enforcement agency. According to the report, both violent and non-violent crime dropped slightly from 2009 to 2010.
According to the report, there were 44 incidents of violent crime in 2010, compared with 52 in 2009. The year before that, there were 237 incidents.
In 2010, there were zero murders, four incidents of reported forcible rape, 15 incidents of robbery, and 25 incidents of aggravated assault.
Violent crimes in 2009 included one murder, six rapes, 21 robberies and 24 aggravated assaults. In 2008, the township saw one murder, six rapes, 83 robberies and 147 aggravated assaults.
According to the report, there were 833 incidents of reported property crime in 2010, including 89 burglaries, 721 reports of larceny or theft 23 motor vehicle thefts and four incidents of arson.
In 2009 there were 125 burglaries, 793 larcenies, 27 motor vehicle thefts, six reports of arson, 159 incidents of domestic violence and 16 incidents of bias crimes. In 2008, there were 448 burglaries, 1,593 larcenies, 171 motor vehicle thefts, five reports of arson, 306 cases of domestic violence and four bias crimes.
Bias domestic violence crimes were not listed in this year's report.
Detective Sgt. Kevin Zebro attributed the drop in crime to a proactive police force, which is 80 members strong, and community awareness.
“The department continues to work to ensure the number of officers assigned to uniform patrol remains the same to ensure a constant, visible police presence and a quick response to calls for assistance,” he said.
When asked if community outreach programs to students and adults help, Detective Sgt. Zebro said yes.
“Yes, I believe community policing activities such as youth academy and various presentations/interactions with the schools have assisted in the decline,” he said. “Community outreach programs go far beyond the school level as well. We are involved in providing education to a variety of groups, such as senior citizens, to ensure we help everyone minimize their chances of being the victim of a crime. By keeping residents aware, we are working to keep them safe.”
The drop in crime locally comes despite an increaseinly small staff, a trend that can be found throughout the state, according to state PBA spokesman South Brunswick Police Sgt. Jim Ryan. In 2008, the East Brunswick Police Department force had 235 employees and in 2009, it had less than 100. This year there are 80 police officers on the force.
"We're seeing a lot of communities with reassessed priorities as far as what the police departments can and can't do anymore," Sgt. Ryan said. "When you look at the numbers, there are almost 3,800 less officers throughout the state than there were on Jan. 1, 2010. The loss of that many officers will obviously have an impact. The majority of those losses were in major cities like Newark, Camden, Atlantic City, Trenton and some others. They're all seeing a significant reduction in law enforcement officers and that will have an impact."
http://eastbrunswick.patch.com/articles/crime-on-the-decline-in-east-brunswick
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California
Police services board launches policing survey, Input sought from residents to develop priorities for policing
EMC News - Residents will soon be seeing something in their mailbox the North Grenville Police Services Board (PSB) hopes they will take very seriously.
In a first for North Grenville, the PSB launched a municipality-wide community policing survey Sept. 28 during a presentation at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. The two-page survey is being mailed to every residence and business within the municipality. According to PSB chairman Bruce Harrison, the survey will provide "a direct say by the residents of North Grenville of how they want their policing tax dollars spent, and to which components of police work they feel are most beneficial to our municipality."
This survey is the first step towards the PSB's creation of the North Grenville Community Policing Strategy. Currently, the OPP follow a multi-year strategic plan which is implemented by Grenville County OPP detachment commander Paul Bedard with input from various organizations, police services boards, school boards and councils. That plan includes findings from a 2010 satisfaction survey undertaken by the OPP where 152 residents were asked for input. The plan is updated yearly, however the community policing strategy will take things a step further.
"The uniqueness of the North Grenville Community Policing Strategy is to provide a vehicle upon which all residents will be given a voice that will enable the board to determine objectives, core business and functions desirable of our police services, that will have accountability, checks and balances in place," Harrison stated.
The PSB has made sure that all residents have input into the survey, including local youth, with 18 and under, 19 to 39, 40 to 64 and 65 and over age categories represented. The survey is also anonymous and only requires residents to state whether they live in an urban or rural area, or rural subdivision. Harrison was pleased to have Kemptville Youth Centre (KYC) executive director Stacey Tenbult in attendance at the launch. The youth centre will serve as one of the survey's drop-off points in the community. He said the partnership with KYC on this survey is an important one.
"At this point in our young history as a municipality, it's advantageous for our community to get a hands-on approach to our safety," he remarked. "The police can't do the job alone, they need input from all segments of our population."
"I hope that the youth capture the essence of what we're trying to do here," Harrison continued. "It is they we are all trying to protect and nurture. We're reaching out to the youth with this survey," Harrison continued, adding that he hopes high school civics classes use the survey. "...I encourage them to come up with some of their own strategies to work towards solving these problems."
Included in the survey, the PSB have chosen seven priorities they are asking residents to choose in order of importance. With the OPP policing contract costing North Grenville $2.5 million a year, the board wants to know where residents feel their policing dollars should go. Priorities listed include vandalism, impaired driving, patrols in the area, violent crime, traffic enforcement, visibility in the neighbourhood, theft and burglaries, quality of life issues, youth crime, drugs/substance abuse in schools, violence in schools/student safety and youth gangs.
Harrison indicated the PSB narrowed the survey down to seven priorities for a reason. In preparing the document, he said other similar surveys from other municipalities were explored.
"We took the questions that were most important to North Grenville and I think that's the whole key to this process. The OPP are just that, provincial wide, and they've been providing stellar service to this community for over a dozen years," he said, noting there are differences between urban and rural policing needs. "We have some local issues we believe that are possibly different from other communities, which are touched on. North Grenville is unique and that's why I live here."
I like to refer to this (survey) as being down and dirty. It's to the point..." Harrison added. "We're not the crime capital of the world that's for sure and I thank God for that, but maybe our focus is on one thing when it should be on another."
Residents are also being asked to place a value on community crime prevention programs such as the Neighbourhood Watch, Crime Stoppers, RIDE initiative, as well as seniors programs, elementary/high school liaison officers and foot patrols. After filling out the survey, a section for additional comments and input is also provided.
Later on in the process, the second step for creating the strategy will be to use survey results to formulate a 'Made in North Grenville' business plan for 2012. "Thirdly, the detachment commander will be consulted with to discuss and implementation process," Harrison noted. "And finally at each step of the strategy, the community will be informed of the progress with the completed business plan made available."
As a former police officer, North Grenville mayor David Gordon, who also sits on the PSB, was pleased to see this survey being conducted.
"When we sat down and discussed this, I was totally all for it. I believe this is (survey) is reaching out to the community and empowering the community," he commented. "...I hope this is more of a partnership with a focus on policing. I've always believed there should be more community involvement."
"It's important to get recognition as strong as we can from our council," added Harrison.
The North Grenville Police Services Board includes chairman Harrison, councillor and vice chairperson Terry Butler, provincial appointees Ralph Raina and Don Sherritt, council representative Gordon and secretary/treasurer Cahl Pominville. It is estimated this survey, which is being funded out of the PSB budget, will cost the board under $1,000.
The deadline for surveys to be returned is Oct. 28 and they can be dropped off at the municipal centre second floor office, North Grenville Public Library, Burritts Rapids library branch, St. Michael Catholic High School office, North Grenville District High School office, or the Kemptville Youth Centre.
For those who wish to complete the survey online, a link is available at www.northgrenville.ca/policeservices.cfm.
"For the well being of our community, the board strongly encourages everyone to become involved in this exercise," Harrison stressed. "...It's most important for the police and community to work together to make this a safe place."
http://www.emckemptville.ca/20111006/news/Police+services+board+launches+policing+survey,+Input+sought+from+residents+to+develop+priorities+for+policing |
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