HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 08-21 City officials excited about crime prevention program THE DISPATCH City
officials excited about
crime prevention
By SCOTT CARLSON ing criminal opportunities,"Si- "We can't let this fall down,"
doran continued. Schaller said of the Institute
Staff He explained that citizens team's visit to Maplewood."If
Maplewood city officials say need to get involved in helping we do there is a void.We'd have
they're excited about establish- the police solve crime because to start all over again."
ing a coordinated crime preven- "a force of 45 people can't keep
tion program with the help of a a city of 30,000 people crime
federal grant.4
free."
"We've had crime prevention
(efforts)before but we haven't NOTED SCRALI,ER:"We're
tied them together,"Police Chief a lot better off if we can prevent
Richard Schaller said of the a crime."Councilman Donald
grant which recently brought a Wiegert agreed. I
National Crime Prevention ing sev
bee
Insti-
tute "I've n lookeral
team to visit Maplewood as years to have citizens helpethe
the first of 40 American cities. police(with vandalism
"We'll see what they(the team) problems),"Wiegert said."If we
recommend." only score half of the way then
THE TEAM,headed by we'd pay for the people who
Project Coordinator Jack we've put into this(crime Sidoran,will file a report with vention)position."
pre-
Maplewood in 45 days on how it
can develop a comprehensive Maplewood city officials said
crime prevention program. they need to deal with such
"The primary purpose for de- crime problems as re-occurring
veloping community crime pre- false alarms.
vention is to increase participa- And why did the Institute's
licthe citizens with the Crime Prevention team first vis- i
licee too help make theaccommuninity it Maplewood to provide techni-
doransafe and the people secure,"Si- cal assistance among the 40
"Th said. recipients?
"This is basically done by or- grantp
ganizing communities and in- "Maplewood falls into a good
creasing citizen awareness of population category,"said Judy
crime problems,thereby reduc- Johnson,an Institute consultant.