HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 01-30 Participation high in police d epartment's neighborhood crime prevention survey THE REVIEW Participation high in police department's
neighborhood crime prevention survey
Maplewood
Maplewood police said they are pleased The police are organizing Neighborhood (including storage areas). Twenty-five
that 58.5 percent of the neighborhood Crime Watch Program this week in the percent responded vandalism and 21
surveys they distributed earlier this area that has already been surveyed.The percent said thefts from yards and theft
(- month have been completed and retur- neighborhood will be broken down into from autos were among the worst neigh-
) ned. five "block watch" groups, with ap- borhood crimes.
This return rate is approximately proximately 28 homes in each group. According to Peltier,the city is bearing
double what is usually expected in sur- The block watch groups are designed to the cost of this project, including paying
veys such as these, reports Sgt. William heighten the members awareness of what for the surveys and releasing and
Peltier. The surveys are one of the first constitutes suspicious behavior and the assigning personnel to put the program
steps in a crime prevention program necessity of reporting it to the police. The into operation.
initiated by the Maplewood Police Dept. block watch program works best in
The surveys inquire about how resident's helping alleviate vandalism and Staffing for the crime prevention
perceive the safety of their neighborhood. burglaries, reports Lt. Dennis Delmont. program is being provided by members of
That should be good news for the per- the police department. Eight patrolmen
The questionnaires were distributed in sons living in the western Maplewood have attended a 40-hour class offered by
a western Maplewood area bounded by neighborhood. According to 1978 police the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
County Road B on the north, Roselawn statistics, the highest incidence of dealing with the principles of crime
Avenue on the south, Rice Street on the burglaries and larcenies in Maplewood prevention. About six of the men have
west and the I-35E freeway on the east. occurred in this area. The 1979 statistics expressed interest in working in this
The police department has divided the are not available. program, Peltier said.
city into 23 areas.Twelve of the areas will The results of the survey show that the The patrolmen will help organize the
be surveyed. The department believes it residents in this area are aware of this block watch groups, which will meet
will have a fairly accurate picture of the problem. When asked what the three regularly and appoint captains. Police
community's perceptions when the worst crimes or crime-related problems said they hope the groups will bring about
remainder of the areas are surveyed later were in their neighborhood, 24 percent a more thorough reporting of Maplewood
this winter. said breaking into homes or garages crimes.