On October 25th the 5th Street Community honored Officers Michael Schulteis and Duane Williams for virtually eliminating the constant promenade of open-air drug dealing that took over the 5th St Corridor in he Spring of 2009. (Click here for the Chronicle story that describes the catalyst for change in the area)  It was Mike Schulteis who made a very comprehensive presentation to the 5th St Community that ignited them to aggressively pursue the tracking of the criminal justice process after the arrest  and the prosecution of felony narcotics offenders.  Also, Lt. Christian Malanka, former downtown Lt. showed extraordinary leadership in bringing the community together and demonstrating that they could make a difference.  He led neighborhood patrol walks every single week bringing along bike patrol officers so the community could get to know them and respect the difficulty and danger of their jobs. 

To honor these officers, Madge Whistler and her neighbors organized a 'ticker tape parade' along the front of the 5th Street Lofts.  It was a big surprise to all and the Statesman ran a story on the party (click here to read).  Over 40 felony arrests have been made and the community has come together like no other to restore their area to the vibrant and safe streets that make living downtown a unique experience.

The Sheepdog Award stems from an article that one officer forwarded, an analogy on the mindset of an officer and what motivates them to do their job- as in a sheepdog that guards the flock.  Each was presented with a bronze statue of a Sheepdog trophy and the 5th St. Community plans to make it an annual presentation as a way of thanking their partners in community policing.

City Wide CLASP Meeting

Saturday, February 5th 2-4pm
Austin Community College   South Austin Campus- Building E Room 7004

1820 W. Stassney Lane    Austin, Texas 78745
 

In an effort to promote understanding and dialogue with our law enforcement partners, CLASP is hosting our next meeting with the following featured speakers:


 Margo Frasier, Office of Police Monitor
Margo stated in a recent KXAN interview  "There are a whole lot of people in the city of Austin who don't even know what the police monitor does, how to go about it if they had a complaint or concern about the police department," Frasier said, " So we need to do a much better job at community outreach."  Come hear Margo speak about her vision for the position she has recently taken on.


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Sgt. Wayne Vincent, President, Austin Police Officers Association
There is nothing new about gatherings where the Police Department is in attendance to discuss relevant law enforcement topics. What is unique about this presentation however, is that police officers will be on hand not to talk about policies and crime issues, but instead, share their feelings, fears, wishes and personal insights into the job they do. There will be a brief presentation by the Police Association in which they discuss some of the perceptions they feel the public has, and will also share some of the perceptions the working men and women have developed about the community in which they serve. The most important concept of these meetings however will be the open dialog between our officers and citizens in attendance. We will discuss the perceptions and why they exist. We will struggle together in an effort to understand each other's point of view. Some of the discussion may be awkward and painful, but we believe necessary in order to chip away at the distrust and fear that some of our citizens have concerning their police.

Neighborhood Watch Leaders Networking Breakout at end of meeting:  Come and meet the CLASP team and others from around the city who want to share their best practices and enthusiasm for what we do.  We want to hear what you are doing in your neighborhood.

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Neighborhood Crime Analyst Training - January 29th, 2011    2-3pm
krimelabb.com
Hosted by Jack Darby
North Village Branch Library, 2505 Steck, 78757

This is a free session where we discuss how to use the knowledge of your neighborhood and Austin Police Department crime data to develop strategies to deter crime in your area. It is an open discussion so bring your ideas and best practices.

Here are a few topics that are covered in the session:

• What is a Neighborhood Crime Analyst?
• Networking with other neighborhoods
• Crime Dashboard
• Alerts
• How to make optimal use of krimelabb  
• Emerging Technology
• Community Policing
• Community Prosecution
• How to partner with the Austin Police Department
• Public Information
• Studying crime in your neighborhood

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North Austin Coalition of Neighborhoods - January 29th, 2011   9-10am
Neighborhood Watch 101
speaker:  Mary Rudig of Gracywoods
Click here for location/ time and agenda
This presentation is geared towards neighborhood leaders, block captains and watch participants alike.  With 12 years of neighborhood watch experience in the North Austin, her presentation rocks!
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Safe Routes To School
Tuesday January 25th 2011   9:00am
Blackshear Elementary
Check out the wonderful newsletter by the Safe Routes to School program of the City of Austin that gives a wealth of information about this important topic.
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Citizen's Sheriff Academy
Tuesdays beginning February 15th 2011   6:45-10:00pm
Contact Vicente.Galloway@co.travis.tx.us  or call 854-4989
Learn what it's like to be a Travis County Sheriff's Deputy
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Austin Police District Rep Presentation Train the Trainer Series (3 part series, 1st event below)

North Location:  Feb 8th 6:30pm  Intro to Neighborhood Watch/ Apartment Watch

12425 Lamplight Village at the Lamplight Village Police Substation

South Location:  Feb 8th 6:30pm Intro to Neighborhood Watch

404 Ralph Ablanedo Dr, Clinton Hunter Police Substation

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Commanders Forums - Please let your neighborhood know about these!

Region I:  already happened  Jan 4th Downtown at City Hall

Region I:  North Central and Central West  TBD   Call 974-5340
 

Region II:  Northwest - Feb 1st, 6:00pm, Northwest Fellowship Church, 13427 Pond Springs Rd

Region II:  Northeast - Jan 27th 7:00pm, APD Conference Room, 1520 Rutherford Ln

Region III:  Central East and South Central, Feb 7th, Central East Substation, 812 Springdale Rd

Region IV:  Southwest and Southeast:  January 25th, South Substation, 404 Ralph Ablanedo Dr

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Public Safety Commission

Monday February 7th 4-6pm   City Hall, check website for agenda and room

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Many of you know John Luther of Barton Hills as the leader of a well run, highly organized and successful Neighborhood Patrol group of 40 + volunteers.  John has lent his expertise to neighborhood groups such as Allandale, Zilker and others who have gone on to develop successful programs of their own.  His generosity of spirit and time was rewarded on December 10th at the annual awards luncheon of the Central Texas Crime Prevention Association.

Nominated by his District Reps Joshua Visi and Dwayne Kinley, he was awarded Outstanding Crime Prevention Citizen of the Year.  Well deserved, John, and we are very proud of you! 

John remarks that neighborhood crime has decreased substantially since he began this group in response to rising property crimes these past 12 months.  He worked with APD on the initial training of his volunteers, carefully allowing them time to fully understand the role they play.  He rides with them on a 'dry run' before they are turned loose to patrol on their own. 

Practicing the habit of being prepared at a moment's notice as they drive around day or night, John includes a 'staged car burglary' surprise as part of the training.  As the volunteer turns the corner, they are met with what appears to be a car burglary in progress.  Their reaction to that situation is key to knowing whether they are ready to patrol on their own.

His program has become a model for other neighborhoods to follow.  If you would like to know more about having neighborhood watch patrols in your area, please contact him at jluther@austin.rr.com.
He is also serving as president of CLASP for 2011.

It's here.....the CLASP city wide survey results...
Click here!!

All comments were sorted by zip code, then neighborhood so that readers can have a sense of context.  Please share this link on your neighborhood listserv so that everyone can see what Austin neighborhoods are thinking about crime and safety.  And see how your comments stack up against other comments in your own neighborhood, and neighborhoods across the city!

We received responses from over 117 neighborhoods and 505 people - some of whom are connected with running safety programs in their neighborhoods, but most just 'concerned ciizens' who weigh in on how they perceive crime and safety, what they are doing to protect their property, and how they perceive the Austin Police Department.

Now we've 'taken the temperature' of Austin's neighborhoods.   Many of you have commented on crime and safety issues in your own neighborhood. 

In the words of Mary Rudig, Gracywoods Watch Coach "Too many people in Austin want to point fingers. "Its the City's fault. The police should do something. There should be another law passed."  The blame game is easy to do and yes, it's become comfortable. If we blame the government, then we citizens don't have to take ownership for community issues. We don't have to take the risk of talking openly about finding solutions, and possibly offending somebody. Most importantly, we don't have to worry about failing - because we never tried in the first place."

If you don't have a safety program in your neighborhood - let us know - we can hook you up.  Contact clasp.austin@gmail.com  or contact your district rep.

Click here for a .pdf file of the current map that describes the new reorganization of regions and sectors for 2011 rolled out this month by APD.

Here is a link to the new updated APD webpage that lists all Commanders and staff, including District Reps.  Many neighborhoods will be affected by these changes and so it is very important to attend your upcoming APD Commanders Forums to get to know them and the tactics they will be using to address specific problems in your area.  In each area, there is a Commander for the patrols unit and a Commander for the district reps (support).

Also, here is the link to the Commanders Forums page at APD where you can find the latest postings about meeting dates/ times/ places.  As we learned in our survey, many people have not been aware of when and where the Commanders Forums are for their neighborhood.  Please help spread the word about these important events by placing the information on your neighborhood listserv or website.  The kick off meetings at the beginning of the year are very important.   It is through this type of interaction with APD that people gain trust and understanding of the police department.    Residents should be encouraged to give input and feedback to the Commanders about what is relevant in their area and the issues they would like to see addressed. 

Also several regions will be offering classes for Neighborhood Watch and Train the Trainer.  Here is a flyer from the South Region for their spring training at the South Substation.  The North Region has a similar program at the Lamplight Village Substation.  Click here for North dates. 

CLASP will continue to offer training for patrols and neighborhood watch as well and we work in partnership with APD to encourage and support the leaders of these organizations.  We all started with just one volunteer - and we are here to help you start, revitalize or expand your watch or patrol efforts by sharing best practices, ideas and materials.  Check out the CLASPATX.ORG website for helpful documents that will get you up and running faster.  Our goal is for Austin to be the safest city in the nation. 

It takes special people to donate their time organizing patrols and watches in a neighborhood.  There's one neighborhood that is fortunate enough to have such a person -  Susan Dickerson-Spruce, to watch over their streets in the southeast Austin Burleson Rd area.

Susan organized neighbors to attend the APD COPS program:  Citizen's On Patrol.  They have been very effective in reducing car break in's and other crime by making their presence known.  She was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by Art Acevedo for her hard work and dedication.


Here is the KXAN story on how they helped APD apprehend some car burglars in her neighborhood.

And a story from FOX that tells more about the APD Citizens On Patrol program.

We welcome Susan as our new Secretary of the Board for 2011 and know that she will help to mentor other neighborhoods who wish to take back their streets.  John Luther and Susan Dickerson can both hook you up if you wish to start a patrol program in your neighborhood.  Contact them at jluther@austin.rr.com and sprucedup4@yahoo.com.  You can also contact your APD District Rep for dates and times when Citizens on Patrol may be offered in the future by APD.
 

There is a quiet but strong organization that exists in Austin in support of Public Safety formed in 1997...The Greater Austin Crime Commission.  They have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for programs and special equipment and tools for law enforcement for the past 13 years.

CLASP wishes to thank The Greater Austin Crime Commission for their support of our organization, their sponsorship of our last event and we look forward to a stronger partnership in the future. 

How was National Night Out in your neighborhood?    Did you know that Austin ranked NUMBER 4 Nationwide for Best Participation in National Night Out for cities in the population range of 300,000+?   Congratulations to Rosie Salinas for the award she accepted on behalf of the Office of Community Liaison from the Central Texas Crime Prevention Association.

Rey and Alma Torres have stepped forward to start revitalizing their  Neighborhood Watch this year in the Onion Creek Plantation neighborhood.  The neighborhood has received 20 free crime watch signs from Guardian Protection Services and wishes to thank them for their generosity.  At a December crime and safety neighborhood meeting, Elliott Gordon spoke to the audience about his company and their commitment to support neighborhood watch groups in the Austin Area.

If you would like more information on Guardian, please contact:

Elliott Gordon at 512-997-9368   or email him at egordon@gpsx.net

Neighborhood signage does not a neighborhood watch make, but many times, these can be used to motivate residents on a particular block to organize and they are recognized and rewarded with a sign on their street when they have completed the necessary steps.  CLASP encourages neighborhoods to work closely with their district reps on this important step and the City of Austin Street and Bridge Department for installation.  Don't forget to register your block captains and your neighborhood watch group.  Contact the Office of Community Liaison for more information.