With all the budget adjustments that have hit each sector of the
city, the one change that will hit each of us very hard will be the decrease
in Community Police officers. Forest Park now has only one Community police
Officer. They made our lives better and will be missed. We will all need do
more to keep our neighborhood a good place to live, work and raise our children
in this troubled time.
Simple things you can do to deter crime at home:
Leave the front and back porch lights on to make it harder for a robber to enter
your home at night. Lock your cellar windows to prevent an intruder from gaining
access. Lock your doors when you go out for a short errand. Lock your car doors
when going inside, even if you'll be heading out again soon. It only takes moments
for a robber to take what is most valuable to you. Put in a home security system
with motion detectors? Get a dog? Shred important information before throwing
it in the trash?
To deter auto theft, which is on the rise in our neighborhood:
Etch your vehicle's identification number (VIN) on your vehicle's
windows, doors, fenders and the trunk lid. Auto theft investigators believe
this deters professional thieves. Install a mechanical device such as the CLUB,
that locks to the steering wheel, column, or brake to prevent the wheel from
being turned more than a few degrees. The club must be installed properly and
used to be effective. Investigate and consider installing a security system
or alarm. If you have it, be sure to use it. Consider having your mechanic install
a kill switch, so that your car will only start if you activate the switch.
Switches are fairly inexpensive.
Be a responsible neighbor. Don't leave your dog outside barking. Remove
unregistered cars from your yard? If you see unregistered cars in your neighborhood,
make a call to the appropriate city agency (code enforcement.
Remember:
- Get to know the Community Police Officer. Information is powerful.
- Get to know your neighbors and encourage them to attend neighborhood Community
Police meetings and to join the FPCA.
- Obtain and affix the CRIME WATCH Community Policing Partnership Stickers to
doors and windows.
- Get complete names, addresses and phone numbers of all your neighbors so you
can contact them if necessary.
- Learn about crime prevention information and activities.
- Report suspicious activities to the police department.
Springfield can continue to thrive as a neighborhood, if we make the decision to keep it a safe neighborhood.