In response to the recent vandalism and criminal mischief in our common area, the SAPD has advised us to reactivate our Cellular on Patrol neighborhood watch program. The board invites all residents to come hear about our security concerns, Monday, 30 June, 8 - 9 PM, at the Community Center. Learn about the most effective way to keep our “Mayberry” intact.
For more information on COP, go to
http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapd/cop.asp?res=1280&ver=true
4 comments:
Is the C.O.P. program something that FSR really needs? It has been my experience that most FSR residents do not hesitate to call SAPD, and sometimes for the most childish and petty reasons. We already pay for a private security patrol to augment the SAPD in FSR, so why would the subdivision need this? Will the C.O.P. program eventually render the Blue Armor Patrol redundant? Which would ultimately save the HOA money, or is the resurrection of the C.O.P. program just an excuse to snitch on the neighbors (empirically, another activity that most FSR residents have no compunction about). I am just offering some food for thought from outside the peanut gallery.
Upon reading the blurb closer this appears to be an attempt at pacifying the FSR residents from the SAPD and their suggestion at reviving the C.O.P. program. How effective has this program been in other subdivisions? Is there any real data on this or is it speculation from the "safety" officer?
Cellular on Patrol is a neighborhood watch program recommended by SAPD community policing officers city-wide, regardless of the crime environment. In the context of the graffiti and other incidents at the park during May, an officer recommended re-instituting C.O.P.
The training received by C.O.P. participants includes recommendations for a successful program, including avoiding unnecessary intrusiveness. Simply put, C.O.P. is intended for crime prevention, not "snitching."
In the case of FSR, trained C.O.P. participants will occasionally be integrated as necessary with regular private security patrols. Incidentally, the amount of problems reported at the park has dropped considerably, before the implementation of C.O.P. Never-the-less, the existence of a trained and ready group of volunteers interested in preventing crime in FSR makes good sense.
According to SAPD, a neighborhood watch is an effective crime prevention tool. The extent of its effectiveness, and the availability of hard data to support such an organization and the law enforcement philosophy in general is a good question for the training session (TBA). That information will be blogged when available.
Meanwhile, see http://www.sanantonio.gov/saPD/COPPS.asp?res=1024&ver=true for an explanation of SAPD's position on community policing and associated efforts.
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