October 24, 2009
4 Comments
Fairwood Community Safety Updates
October Report
King County Sheriff - Officer Sam Shirley
Incident Summary
|
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Burglaries -Residential |
12 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
15 |
7 |
9 |
Burglaries - Commercial |
|
|
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
ID Theft |
5 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
Stolen Vehicles |
5 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Vehicle Recoveries |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Vehicle Prowls |
14 |
10 |
8 |
9 |
9 |
12 |
11 |
9 |
Mail Theft |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
Larceny |
8 |
10 |
5 |
14 |
7 |
6 |
14 |
12 |
Robbery |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Homicide |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Vandalism |
6 |
3 |
10 |
6 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
4 |
September Crime Re-cap
In the month of September we had nine reported residential burglaries and two commercial burglaries. This was a slight increase over last month. Larcenies and car prowls continue to be our biggest problem. Most of the larcenies were shoplifts at our retail and grocery stores. Car prowlers are usually opportunists, looking for the person who has left something valuable visible. We lost two laptops and a few GPS devices. Purses and other valuables are also targeted. Please take those items inside with you at night. If you are at the shopping center, secure valuables in the trunk.
Burglars Spotted by Securitas
While on patrol in Fairwood Greens, an alert Securitas officer spotted a suspicious person getting into a vehicle and quickly leaving the neighborhood. The Securitas officer was able to get the license plate. Later it was found that a burglary had occurred at that location. Because of alertness of Securitas the probability of solving this crime, and perhaps many others, has significantly increased.
Sex Offender Website - OffenderWatch®
Provided below is a link to the King County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender website.
http://www.sheriffalerts.com/cap_main.php?office=54473
Blockwatch Captains List
I am currently attempting to establish a list of Blockwatch Captains in the Fairwood area. If you are a Blockwatch Captain, or know one, please email me with the information at Samuel.shirley@kingcounty.gov
Take a Stand Against Crime – Join a Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch, Block Watch, Town Watch,
Building Watch, Crime Watch—
Whatever the name, it’s one of the most effective and least costly ways to prevent crime and reduce fear. Neighborhood Watch fights the isolation that crime both creates and feeds upon. It forges bonds among area residents, helps reduce burglaries and robberies, and improves relations between police and the communities they serve.If you are interested in starting a neighborhood watch please contact me (Sam Shirley) at the Fairwood Storefront Office. The number is (206) 296-3846.
Halloween Safety tips
Halloween is here again! Here are some safety tips to help you and your family have a fun and safe evening. Start by picking brightly colored costumes. If the costume you pick is not a bright color, add some reflective tape. Kid’s costumes should also be short enough to allow them to walk or run without tripping.
Costumes and accessories should be flame retardant. Lots of people will have candles out and fire safety is very important. Make sure your children know to Stop Drop and Roll if something they are wearing catches fire. Masks should fit snuggly and not interfere with vision. If a mask does interfere with a child’s vision, instruct them to only wear it as they approach a residence. Do not wear them while crossing the street.
- Put your child’s emergency contact information on a card to take with them.
- Put new batteries in your flashlights.
- Stick to neighborhoods that are familiar to you.
- Older children that will not be accompanied by adults should go out in groups.
After trick or treating check all candy for tampering and dispose of any suspicious items.
Police Humor
Courtesy of: http://thepolicedaily.com/photos.htm
Washington Statewide Victim Information & Notification Service
The Washington Statewide Victim Information & Notification Service will tell you if an offender is in custody and will give you other important custody information. This service will also let you leave a phone number where you want to be called automatically when that offender is released, transferred, escapes or dies.
You can register for this service from a touch-tone phone at
1-877-846-3492 or go to www.vinelink.com and follow the directions.
*Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Additional Community Updates
Attempted Purse Snatching: An anonymous citizen reportedly was the victim of an attempted purse snatching this summer in the parking lot of Albertsons. We checked with store employees, and they did not know of the incident. All are cautioned to be fully aware of their surroundings and questionable people nearby. Review in your mind about what you would do if you were faced with this type of incident.
Drug Activity in Shopping Centers: Neighbors are encouraged to call the Sheriff if you see illegal activities anywhere, including our neighborhood shopping centers. Neighbors have reported that they have seen drug deals next to recently closed storefronts.
Lake Desire seeing Drug Activity: A fisherman has reported that there has been some drug activity going on at the public access at dusk. A silver Mazda sports car and a silver Toyota come, park and other cars come and go around them. He has seen them also smoke weed but didn’t have a cell phone so a call was not made. A case number has been opened by a neighbor for reporting suspected drug activity for this location at the King County Sheriff's Office. You can report suspected drug activity by calling the communications center at 206-296-3311 or 911 and reference case number 09-236-693.
"If people will report when they see this kind of activity, we may get more frequent police patrols," said a Lake Desire neighbor.
Bartell Shoplifting – A neighbor was in the Bartell Drugs parking lot around 6 p.m. Oct. 16 and noticed a scuffle going on in the automatic doorway of Bartell Drugs. It turns out there was some shoplifting going on. The person was caught and questioned.
City of Renton Emergency Notification System - The CodeRed™ system provides Renton City officials with the ability to provide pre-recorded emergency telephone notification/information messages to targeted areas or the entire city. Residents and businesses are encouraged to sign up for CodeRed™ to be sure they receive timely emergency notifications when alerts are issued. Examples include: evacuation notices, bio-terrorism alerts, boil water notices, and missing child reports. It takes just a few seconds to fill in your address, phone and email/text information at the following webpage: https://login.coderedweb.com/codereddataentry/
default.aspx?groupid=BUFNQQoaaVLxfc85XAXZjA%3d%3d
Aggressive Doberman Update – The dog bite victim in the Lake Desire area has pursued this case as far as he can, but until Animal Control knows where the dog lives, they can't do anything. Unfortunately, they are still unable to pinpoint the owner of a Doberman who seems to be getting loose near East Lake Desire and the boat launch. There is still a case #7031 open on this particular dog, and residents are urged to contact animal control at 206-708-4947 if they know any details or have any further issues.
Anyone who calls is free to remain anonymous.
Local Neighbor is Acting to Protect, Offers Tools for Others
Fairwood Community News recently received an anonymous packet from a concerned neighbor who is actively trying to protect the neighborhood by reporting suspicious activity to both law enforcement and King County Housing Authority. This information pertains to Section 8 Housing.
We want to applaud the efforts of this person and can also hear the frustration of having to live in a setting where no one should have to live. Our hearts also go out to the children who are needlessly traveling down a path of destruction.
We can often become passive and relinquish power over to those who do harm to others and to our community, but we believe that one person's actions can have a tremendous positive influence on others, and we encourage our readers to care as this person does, and do something about it. It often takes one person to move a community into action. A community of no tolerance will make a difference.
We are posting this person's note below:
I read and keep track of the short police-type blotter reports you have had in this community news source. I live in Fairwood and have problems in our apartment complexes all the time with thugs and wannabe gang members.
I do call the number you listed when I see the trouble. I am enclosing copies of forms from the Government on Section 8 Housing Fraud. I turn them in anonymously whenever I can track the underage thugs to their units. Section 8 will come out and investigate these family members that have been found to be involved with these teen thugs.
It is against the rules to have guns and drugs in Section 8 reduced housing rent payments from the government. We all pay taxes for their units. If these parents cared and risked their rent being jeopardized, they would get the help needed for these thug teens that are out all hours of the night, moving and delivering dugs, sending smaller kids down to the public grammar schools to sell rock, ecstasy and marijuana.
I spoke to an attorney about sending this document around for the public to see. He said I am within my rights and I am not representing any government organization of any kind.
Thanks.
To do your part, report illegal activities to 206-296-3311 or 911. To file a claim with the King County Housing Authority, obtain the necessary forms by CLICKING HERE. Complaints can be filed anonymously.
THANKS
Thanks to all of you for your submissions. Please continue to let us know about safety issues you know of and other related news, and we will post the information.
Knowledge of what is happening helps us all to stay on the lookout and promote a safe community.
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Responses to
"October Safety Report"
November 6 - 11:25 am
Erin Aboudara said: Chris, My intention was not to malign the Renton Police Department or its officers who are trying to make Renton a safer community to live in. I sincerely apologize if I was not clear about what I was trying to communicate. I am sorry, and I ask your forgiveness.
I would not have made any comment whatsoever if David McCammon of the Benson Hill community of Renton, who has recently deemed himself an expert on what is best for our community for the sole purpose of defeating Incorporation, had not made a comment that I found to be unfair to Sam, whom I personally like. Sam cares about Fairwood because he lives here too and has a business here as well. I was defending my friend when I commented. I did not like Dave's tone, so I wrote out of anger. I am truly sorry.
I have come from a family with several police officers within the past 4 decades. I am aware that if we were to be annexed to Renton that we would also be a patrol district. My concern is whether Renton can afford to adequately police our very large community because of economic issues that neither Renton or Fairwood have a great deal of control over these days. That was my real concern when I posted this comment last week in regards to police protection from Renton.
But the election is over and as I write this, my side is behind by 568 votes. If this ballot issue does not pass, I am concerned that my children will not be as safe at least until such a time as Renton would be able to do an annexation. That is my fear. I know we have gangs (I have seen them!), we have drug activity (they break into our homes to steal our stuff to buy/sell drugs with the money they get from the stuff--it happened to our neighbors recently), and I wrote about this in a letter to the editor that was published in the Fairwood Flyer recently.
Just read the minutes of the Highlands Community Association and you see that even though they were in Renton, they were not happy with their level of police protection a few years back or the lack of code enforcement in the Highlands. If we are eventually annexed to Renton, we want an officer who does what Sam does and that he/she needs to come to our HOA meetings periodically and provide them with regular updates on the crime issues that we have. My husband and I paying over $325,000 for our Fairwood Greens home that is currently worth $352,000 in this economy and had been worth $410,000 or so at the market peak (this includes improvements made over the past 7 years) and we have a vested interest in our neighborhood, our public schools, our library (I hope residents of Renton will decide to annex to KCLS, as it will save Renton money over time). If the Incorporation does not pass this second time, it will likely be the economy that killed it.
Thank you for your comments, Chris. I hope you will forgive me.
Erin Aboudara
October 28 - 11:57 am
Chris Edwards said: Erin, You are sorely mistaken when it comes to your depiction on how the Renton Police will operate if Fairwood is ever annexed.
I do not know where you get the information that the Renton Police will concentrate their resources on the "downtown" area instead of serving the citizens of Fairwood if they are annexed. But it is wrong and naive.
Just like King County, there would be officers assigned to the area of Fairwood that are responsible for their districts they patrol and to interact with the community, just like Sam does. One or more of the officers may even live in Fairwood and know the community. How can you make a statement that the "new public servants" who may serve Fairwood don't know the Fairwood community without facts to base it on?
Just like King County, one of the areas of the job is to conduct traffic enforcement. That means giving traffic tickets. All police agencies do this. Its part of the education process for traffic enforcement. It's an absurd comment to say that the Renton Police will give everyone tickets.
As for the gang activity, it is everywhere, yes even Fairwood is not immune. You can see that from the gang tags on the fences and other property throughout the neighborhoods and businesses.
Please try not to assume things until you have facts or experience to back it up.
October 27 - 2:10 pm
Erin Aboudara said: Sam does not campaign in his uniform. He wears regular street clothes when he is campaigning. He has a US Army jacket that he wears often. He served in the Army and his son is now in the Army.
The Firefighters are within their legal rights to wear their union shirts and campaign, however we are bothered that they were "for us" last time and are now "against us" and yet we pay their salaries out of our taxes. A couple of the Firefighters waved at me while I was holding my Vote Fairwood sign the other day. I always wave and smile at them when I am out there at 140th & Petro., regardless of their reaction to us being there. They are good people and I respect and admire them for what they do each day.
On our side, we do not want our police officers to lose their jobs any more than we want firefighters to lose theirs. My late father was a deputy sheriff. He was a detective for years and served Fairwood-Cascade and the Kent East Hill and much of unincorporated King County. This is why I defend them so strenuously. I am like the Energizer Bunny. I won't allow Go Vote No to discourage me or stop me from trying to protect our current public servants so they can get some new public servants who don't know our community at all and will give everyone traffic tickets and the gang activity will just continue to flourish like it does in every other older Renton neighborhood. We need more deputies to fight real, more serious crimes. I have children, so I want to see officers dedicated to serve and protect my neighborhood, not downtown Renton.
Sam is also not eligible to be the Chief of Police in Fairwood--that would go to a higher ranking officer.
October 25 - 7:42 am
David L McCammon said: Is this the same officer that lives in Fairwood (near the southern border) that also has a business in Fairwood that is right accross the parking from the neighborhood sheriffs station that will disappear if annexed to Renton and most likely disappear in Fairwood remains in Unincorporated King County. The only way to save his cushy position is for Fairwood to incorporate and to make the neighborhood sheriffs station, the city station.
Is he the same officer that goes around supporting the incorporation attempt, while in uniform, unlike the fireman who where their union issued shirts that state they are members of the firefighters union.
Sounds to me like there is an ethical problem here. What is going to protect the area of Fairwood if someone who wants to be Chief of the Fairwood area is unethical?
David L. McCammon
Benson Hill area of Renton