Crime, Safety, Transportation & Noise Committee

Crime Safety Transportation Noise Committee (CSTN)

Crime Safety Transportation Noise Committee

Crime, Safety, Transportation & Noise Committee members strive to make the neighborhood a safe place for residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy and a place where transportation needs and modes are balanced with pedestrian needs. Projects include:

   Block clubs organizing
   Safe bike and pedestrian pathway
   promotion
   Crime monitoring
   Traffic and parking issues
   Liaison with the Minneapolis Police
   Department

Contact committee chair Kevin Larson via email if you have a community safety concern or would like more information about anything related to this committee.

How you can be involved:

Join us for Crime Safety Transportation & Safety meetings if you have something you'd like to discuss or learn more about or volunteer. The committee meets the 3rd Monday of each month at Walker Health Services (3737 Bryant Ave) at 7 pm. Agendas will be available ahead of each meeting.

Click here to send a blank email that automatically signs you up to receive regular email updates from your 5th precinct Community Crime Prevention Specialist, Amy Lavender.

Smartphone Theft Tips

What You Can Do:

Record your serial number! This information, when provided for a police report, will go into a nationwide database and can increase the likelihood of the phone being returned.
BEFORE anything happens, install or activate a function to find your phone if lost or stolen. See below for details. Remember – if you don’t do this beforehand, you lose the chance for this extra step.
Report a stolen phone. Provide any information on location of the phone, serial number, etc, in the report. Call 911. In some circumstances, 911 may send you to 311 to make a theft report.
Pay attention to your surroundings. Many of these phones have been stolen when the victims have been distracted while using it.
Call 911 on suspicious activity.
If you witness a theft/robbery, call 911 and stay around or provide contact information so officers can get a suspect description from you or investigators can follow up.

Activating a function/app to find a lost or stolen phone:
iPhone:

Activate the “find my iPhone” function—requires activation on the phone and for you to set up an account on a website.
Depending on your OS, you will need to go to: settings — iCloud (or MobileMe) – find my iPhone.
Once activated, this function will allow you to track your phone, lock your phone and set a new passcode, remote wipe information, create a message to display on your phone in case it is lost or stolen, etc.
If you have troubles activating or locating this function, contact your local Apple specialist or knowledgeable friends/family.

Smartphone Other than iPhone:

Check if your phone has an internal function like above. If not, download an app that provides that function. Many of these apps require activation on the phone and creation of an account on a website. Research the app before you buy it to ensure it is legitimate and the right app for you.
You can find apps that will have the same functions as the “find my iPhone” function mentioned above: you should be able to track your phone, lock your phone and set a new passcode, remote wipe information, create a message to display on your phone in case it is lost or stolen, etc.
If you have troubles locating an appropriate app, check for recommendations from your local provider or trusted friends/family. Contact the app maker for any troubles with a downloaded app.

Minneapolis #1 in NNO

Minneapolis was recognized by the National association of Town Watch for National Night Out (NNO) and placed first in the nation for cities with populations over 300,000. This is the tenth time Minneapolis has placed first since 1989.

Minneapolis has been celebrating NNO on the second Tuesday of each August for 28 years. In 2011 there were 1,173 confirmed events on 2,470 blocks with nearly 60,500 people participating!

Let's continue this tradition! The impact of NNO lasts throughout the year. Neighbor's who know and care about each other, do a better job of watching out for one another and reporting crime and suspicious behavior to police.

Read more about the 5th Precinct in their eNews. Be sure to Sign Up to receive the 5th Precinct quarterly newsletter.

National Night Out in East Harriet

"Back to Basics"was the theme for this year's National Night Out (NNO) on August 2. Neighbors getting to know each other have a powerful affect on lowering crime and keeping your neighborhood safe. Over 16 blocks registered for the event and celebrated with blocks parties in East Harriet.

Residential Burglary Prevention Tips

Residential burglaries were up in the 5th precinct this summer. Most of these burglaries are crimes of opportunity and can be drastically reduced by taking a few simple steps.

Crime Pattern:

Many garage burglaries happen when garage service doors are unsecured or garage doors are open.
Most burglars are entering (or reaching in) open windows.
Some burglars are starting to push in A/C units to gain access to the home.
Many ground level apartments are being entered via open windows.
Burglars will commonly use a garbage can (or anything else available) to access a high window.

Homeowners/Renters:

Pin all windows within reach at 6 ".
Secure your A/C unit.
Fill out a Home Inventory Form including make, model, and especially serial numbers. Having a inventory list is very important information in the event of a theft. For more information click on Home Inventory FAQ's.
Record the serial number on your bicycle.
Click here to review security tips for tenants of multi-unit dwellings.
Secure your garage service door. Fix broken locks.
Install lighting around the entrance to your home and garage.
Click here for more burglary residential prevention tips.

As always, please remember to call 911 when see suspicious activity!

A complete list of resources can be found on the Crime Prevention website.

Holiday Safety Tips

Click here to read how to keep your credit cards, cash and gifts safe during this busy shopping period. Learn how to protect your home and avoid scams that occur during the holiday season

Neighborhood Policing Plan Update

The Minneapolis Police Dept. recently held Neighborhood Policing Plan meetings for Minneapolis Southwest neighborhoods. The results of the meetings are listed below and include three important crime statistics and three basic actions you can take to reduce crime in your neighborhood.
Statisics:

50% of home burglaries are unforced entries
80% of garage burglaries are unforced entries
90% of car break-ins are because something of value was visible

Actions To Take:

Lock your house and car doors
Get to know your neighbors
Don't be afraid to call 911

If you have questions, please email Amy Lavender or call 612.673.5407.

Increase in Garage Burglaries and Theft From Parked Cars

It is important to increase your awareness and use the following crime prevention methods in your neighborhood.

Keep a watchful eye out and call 9-1-1 if you see or hear anything suspicious even if you do not see the crime. Reporting is important because it may be possible to identify patterns through accumulated reports.
Keep your overhead garage door closed at all times.
Lock all exterior doors to your home including the garage service door.
Keep ground floor windows closed and locked when not home. Use a pin lock if windows are open while you are home during the day.
Keep your front lights on increasing the chances of vandals or thieves being seen.
DO NOT leave valuables in your car. Remember that purses, wallets, cell phones, briefcases, laptops, ipods, garage door openers, etc. are all tempting to thieves.
Lock your car.

Please share this information with your neighbors.

Door to Door Solicitation

A message from Richard J. Tuffs Minneapolis License Inspector
"Each year I deal with a number of complaints about door to door solicitors. If anyone comes to your door trying to sell you anything, take orders for future delivery or tries to sell you any type of alarm system, make sure they have a Minneapolis Solicitors License. When you open the door, the first words you should be saying are, let me see your Minneapolis Solicitors License. It they don’t have one, send them on their way and call 911. Don't be afraid to call 911. A 911 police call is NOT just for emergencies, it's also any time you want to report illegal or suspicious activity or want a police squad for some other reason. Tell the 911 operator that an unlicensed solicitor is going door to door on your block. After you call them, call me and if I'm not in, leave me a message regarding the address they are currently at and your phone number. Once someone signs a contract with an unlicensed solicitor, its very difficult to get them out of it and trying to get a hold of someone from the company is extremely frustrating. Help your neighbor, if they come to your door, take appropriate action."

Link to Crime Prevention Resources and handouts on the City of Minneapolis website.

Upcoming Meeting

The CSTN Committee meets on the third Monday of each month from 7 - 8 pm at Walker Health Services, 3737 Bryant Ave S.

We invite you to the next CSTN Committee meeting on Mon., February 20, 2012.

Question? Contact Kevin Larson via email.

CSTN Meeting Minutes

January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October, 2011September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009

Caution Needed For Drivers, Pedestrians and Cyclists

The Minneapolis Police (MPD) are urging all drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to use caution on the roads. There has been a dramatic increase in accidents involving vehicles with pedestrians or bicycles in the past few weeks.

Warmer weather brings out additional walkers and cyclists, especially in entertainment districts and downtown. Drivers need to exercise more caution and walkers and cyclists need to be aware of their surroundings and watch out for themselves.

The MPD have stepped up enforcement of drivers not yielding, pedestrians jaywalking and cyclist not obeying the rules of the road. This enforcement effort is aimed at preventing accidents which result in life changing events for families.

Court Watch & Community Impact Statements

Court Watch is set up to curb or decrease livability crimes within and around our neighborhood by holding criminals, police and the courts accountable. This is done by monitoring the activities of offenders in this community & following them through the criminal justice system to ensure that they are convicted & sentenced for their crimes. To view a list of the offenders on Court Watch click here.

Residents are welcome to attend a Court Watch meeting, scheduled the third Monday of each month at 5:30 pm in the Community Meeting room at the 5th Precinct.

Community Impact Statements (CIS) are extremely important as they demonstrate to the judge how a crime has affected you/the community and to influence the judge's sentence (for example, ask the judge to give the defendant the maximum jail time allowed or require the defendant to do certain things - like treatment or community service as conditions of probation).

You are encouraged to write and submit a Community Impact Statement for upcoming cases. Please detail activity that you are aware of that this individual has been involved in and how that activity has affected your livability. You can also submit a more general statement about how the actions of this individual and/or the type of crime have affected the livability in your community. You DO NOT have to personally ID the person or have witnessed their crime to write a statement. A Community Impact Statement form and an example of a CSI form are included:
Community Impact Statement Form
Community Impact Statement Example

Community Impact Statement Requests:

Vacant House on the Block?

Simple tips to help ensure the neighborhood is safe until someone moves into the vacant house on your block.

New Hours for 311

Starting April 12, Minneapolis 311 will be changing their hours to Mon.-Fri., 7 am to 7 pm. They are not open on weekends. To read more about these new services, click on 311.

Mobile Drug Dealing

There have been reports of mobile drug dealing in the area. Amy Lavender, our Crime Prevention Specialist has created an Information Sheet on what to look for, what to do and what the Crime Specialist will do.

Identity Theft Information & Prevention

Identity theft is a growing concern and there are many ways it can be stolen. The most prevalent is due to stolen purses & wallets from vehicles and other public settings.

Please Remember:

Do not leave your valuables visible in your vehicle or even hidden under a seat. If you must leave valuables in your car, put them in the trunk before reaching your destination.
Carry the minimal amount of credit cards with you. Keep photocopies of the front and back of credit cards in a secure place so you know what numbers to call if you ever need to cancel them or report a theft.
Do not leave your purse open/unattended. This includes in the cart at retail or grocery stores or at bars and restaurants. Do not hang your purse on the back of your chair where you can't see it.
Do not carry your or others' Social Security cards with you.
Call 911 on suspicious activity!

The city of Minneapolis has provided a more in-depth summary of a number of ways identities are stolen, what you can do to prevent it and what to do if your credit cards or identity is stolen, click on Identity Theft Information and Prevention.

East Harriet

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