It is hard to imagine that this year is coming to a close and that a new year will be here soon. I have learned much in my first year as the Security Chairperson. In looking back, I wanted to review some of the more important lessons that I have learned.
The importance of knowing and looking out for your neighbor. Time and time again, I have seen helping neighbors take the initiative to prevent crime in our community. It is by far the most effective crime fighting tool that we have.
Be the squeaky wheel. Don’t be afraid to call in suspicious activity, youn remain anonymous. Also, please report all crime to the police. All crime and suspicious activity calls are monitored closely by the police and are in large part the primary determinant on how resources are distributed in the future. I have found the police department to be very responsive to problems in our community once they are clear on the problem and know that the residents are engaged and care enough to be that proverbial squeaky wheel.
The threat of a major fire emergency is very real in Bryan Place. The combination of the high density and narrow streets of our urban neighborhood, make the danger of a quickly spreading fire one of the greatest threats to our property and safety. Please be very mindful of where you park on the street and keep your trees trimmed properly so that emergency vehicles can access our community.
Burglary of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is by far the most reported crime in Bryan Place. This is the theft of personal property out of a parked vehicle. These continue to account for about half of the reported crime in our neighborhood and in large part can be prevented by making sure you lock the door and remove/hide the valuables in your car.
Recently, I received information from Officer Jeff LaBarba, our representative from the Dallas Police Department, about the apprehension of the two men seen recently in Bryan Place with a wheelchair stealing UPS/FedEx packages from front doors. Officer LaBarba wanted to thank the observant Bryan Place neighbor for noticing the pair and calling it in to the police. He went on to mention that some residents had reported these crimes on NextDoor (an internet social network) but did not file a report with the police. Since the Police Department is not able to receive these posts, (for privacy issues, they can only push information to NextDoor) they were initially unaware of this situation. Officer LaBarba went on to say, “The most important point is to call 911 when you see suspicious activity or are the victim of a crime… so that we are aware and can respond to criminal activity in your neighborhood.”
And lastly, I need your help in trying to identify the security issues in Bryan Place. Please email me at doberst23@me.com if you have any input for future newsletter articles. Your ideas and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.