Sheriff Rekindles Neighborhood Watches

Written by Brian Shane, Staff Writer

Posted October 26, 2011 on the DelmarvaNOW.com

SNOW HILL -- Sheriff Reggie Mason is fulfilling a campaign promise by reviving Worcester County's Neighborhood Crime Watch program.

The sheriff and his deputies, along with Worcester County State's Attorney Beau Oglesby, have met with residents of Stockton, Girdletree, Bishopville and Newark about the initiative. Next, the Sheriff's Office will meet with neighbors in Oyster Harbor, Friendship, Germantown, South Point and Whaleyville, according to Detective Dale Trotter, who heads up the crime watch under the department's Community Policing Division.

Mason said he's "tickled" the program will return under his tenure as sheriff.

"I'm very happy. I always liked this program, and I wanted to get it back," he said. "It's all about neighbor looking after neighbor. Hopefully, we'll get some of these smaller parts of the county covered before the year is out. This is one thing I wanted to get back in the communities."

He hopes Crime Watch can help build stronger relationships between the community and the deputies on patrol.

Trotter said people sometimes are afraid to call police and report unusual activity at a neighbor's home or to report a crime in progress, based on a fear of retaliation or having to go to court. It's a mindset he's trying to turn around.

"We're trying to get people to look out, keep their eyes open for suspicious activity, for anything that's out of the ordinary," he said. "Don't be afraid to call the police -- you can call and be anonymous. Breathe life into your community so you know your neighbor, and you take care of each other."

One of the problems, according to Trotter, is people sometimes believe if nothing is happening in their neighborhood, they don't think they need a Crime Watch.

"However, I think that's when you need a Crime Watch the most," he said. "Generally speaking, if nothing's going on, it's out of your mind. You don't think about it."

The concept of a neighborhood watch emerged in the late 1970s, Mason said. Worcester had an active Neighborhood Crime Watch program that was developed in the early 1990s under Sheriff Chuck Martin. But the deputy sheriff in charge at that time retired, Trotter said, and the department shifted its manpower to other projects.

Pocomoke City, Berlin and Snow Hill already have their own version of a neighborhood watch, Trotter said. The Ocean City police have established eight individual neighborhood watch groups throughout the resort, from Boardwalk business owners downtown to the north Ocean City residents of the Caine Woods development, according to spokesman Pfc. Mike Levy.

Now that Sheriff Mason is pushing to revitalize the department's community policing efforts, there are other duties deputies will take on. Trotter said he'll personally come out to a person's home for a security evaluation, to see if a person's property is unkempt and a target for thieves.

For kids, he also dresses up as the police mascot character Safety Pup.

"That's been like a big joke, between my friends," Trotter said. "They laugh at me when I dress up like a dog. It's a cartoon character that goes out, talks to the kids, talks about safety. It's a big hit, really."

Ultimately, Trotter said the top priority of the Community Policing Division is to get the word out that "the Sheriff's Office is available for your organization, for your meeting," he said. "We'd like to come out and introduce ourselves, let people know that we put our pants on the same way you do, and we really care about the community."

So far, police efforts already have worked to address one nuisance issue in Stockton.

In meeting with residents, law enforcement found there was a residence that had been vacant for more than a year. Neighbors were reporting the lights were on, and they suspected squatters.

An investigation found that while the home was still empty, and in some disrepair, the owners had left the electricity on because the basement would often flood in a rainstorm and they needed to maintain power to the sump pump. The home has since been cleaned up "and it's not an eyesore anymore to the community," Trotter said.

Reggie Hancock, 81, of Stockton attended the first meeting between neighbors and law enforcement. He said there were about eight people at the meeting, and blamed the low turnout on Hurricane Irene, which passed Delmarva that week.

"They showed real interest in helping our community," said Hancock, a retired state trooper and former Worcester County Commissioner. "As time goes on, perhaps interest (from residents) will grow... Overall, I really think the Sheriff's Office is trying to make an effort to help small communities. We're just encouraged they're paying some attention to us and trying to correct some of these problems."

Hancock said his Crime Watch group will meet quarterly, and suspects the next meeting will fall around the holiday season. He remembers how the last version of the neighborhood watch died out.

"This time, there appears to be more determination and concern, so I trust this one will be more successful," he said.

bshane@dmg.gannett.com

410-213-9442, ext. 17

Neighborhood Watch Empowers Residents

Written by Helen Niemiec, Correspondent

Posted October 23, 2011 in the Observer & Eccentric

It was shortly after 4 a.m. when a Redford Township resident peered out his window and saw two people walking down the sidewalk. Then they seemed to disappear.

Knowing that there were vacant houses nearby, he got suspicious and called 9-1-1.

“It was great,” said Police Officer Jennifer Mansfield, the officer in charge of Neighborhood Watch. “Officers were able to catch the criminals inside the house, while they were cutting up copper to steal. These criminals later confessed to a total of six burglaries in the area.”

The three pieces of Neighborhood Watch, Mansfield said, are commitment to the community, familiarity with your neighbors and education.

The police can arrest and the police can investigate, but it is the people who live in a neighborhood who are the best “eyes and ears” for police, since officers can't be everywhere.

The sour economy has produced an increased number of break-ins, thefts and other “crimes of opportunity” throughout the region, including Redford. Another fact of a bad economy is the vacant homes and an influx of new residents because house prices or rent becomes more affordable.

The combination of those economic realities plus neighbors not knowing each other can create a cauldron of more criminal opportunities.

Redford had a strong watch program 15 years ago but with a strong economy at the time, there were fewer incidences of thefts so the interest waned. Redford is combating the crime rate battle by pushing for more blocks to get involved in the Neighborhood Watch program. Neighbors are encouraged to get to know each other, talk about what they notice and then get updates from the police department and also training in such things as “what is a suspicious activity.”

“Some areas have very strong Neighborhood Watch groups,” Mansfield said. “They are doing a great job of making calls.”

The strongest areas include the Jefferson Neighborhood Association, Pickford and Brady. Mansfield's wish list includes strong Neighborhood Watch groups in the Five Points, where the township limits are, areas east of Beech and the very center of the township.

More help needed

Currently there are 115 block captains representing 80 blocks in the township. “It's a good number but I'd love to see 250 block captains and then we'd be covered,” she said.

“These people are taking responsibility for the safety of their neighborhood. It's also a great way to strengthen the neighborhood because everyone gets to know each other,” she explained.

Neighborhood Watch isn't a huge time commitment, with update meetings held only every four to six weeks, but more of a promise to keep one's eyes open and report suspicious activities.

Watch members have access to a special website that Mansfield maintains, with information about crime in the neighborhoods, ongoing investigations and the meeting schedule for the watch groups.

“Membership has its privileges, as they say. I don't want to make it a public website because then the bad guys know who we're looking for or when all of our homeowners are at a meeting and leaving houses unguarded,” Mansfield said.

All residents have access to the Redford Township website, where the police department updates general information and can sign up for Nixle crime alerts that are sent as text messages to phones.

“It has definitely helped,” Mansfield said of the rejuvenation of the watch program.

At the meetings, people ask questions, share information and Mansfield will present a topic about how to help the police. Her most recent presentation was on how to determine what suspicious activity is.

“The people have gotten good with this part. They're calling us more often and more regularly now with good information,” Mansfield said. “As a matter of fact, the other officers are asking me to tell them to call earlier. They are so worried about being wrong that they wait until they're absolutely certain before they call. With an earlier contact, we can check it out and if it's a bad guy, we can arrest them while in the act. If they call too late, we get a description and a license plate number.”

Often those plates have been stolen so it's a dead end for investigations.

“We're all learning so that's the good part,” Mansfield said.

Neighborhood policing

With a large turnover in neighborhoods and the current trend of people spending more hours indoors, many don't see what is going on right outside their houses. People aren't outside or in their yards as much, aren't chatting with neighbors over the fence and don't really know anyone who doesn't live within a house or two of their own home.

Mansfield and Police Chief Eric Gillman said reigniting the old way of life, getting to know the neighbors, is the critical piece in a successful Neighborhood Watch program.

“It breaks down a lot of stereotypes, when you get to know the people on your block,” Mansfield said.

Gillman said that homeowners often have looked upon renters as a transient part of their neighborhood and therefore not desirable. In this economy, he said, renting often is the best a family can do at the time.

“We have tons of regular renters who are vested in the community. They are long-term renters and they are as committed to the community as the person who owns a home,” Gillman said.

Another stereotype that is being dashed is that homeowners who have left Detroit for Redford are not going to become a part of the community.

“You have to realize that people who moved here from Detroit or any community, they came here because they want a better life. These newcomers can be our strongest support of a watch program because they don't want their new neighborhood to become what they left,” Gillman said. “The new people are like the longtime residents who want to keep the neighborhood safe and have a place our kids can walk down the street.”

Mansfield recently put together a Neighborhood Watch picnic, something she plans to do annually. Members from across the township came together for an afternoon of socializing and sharing information and thoughts.

The grassroots efforts are paying dividends, Mansfield said.

“This has been getting people to take responsibility for their neighborhood. You want your officers to catch the crooks and we need to information to get them. It's a good working arrangement,” Mansfield said.

Individuals who want more information or want to start a watch program on their block should send an e-mail to Mansfield at jmansfield2@redfordpd.org.

Street Lights Out For Months In Southwest Fresno Neighborhood

By: Rich Rodriguez

Posted: Sep 03, 2011 8:11 PM PDT

See the KMPH post HERE

The street lights have been off for weeks in a Southwest Fresno neighborhood.   Residents have complained to the city but so far its pitch black ever night after the sun goes down.

The neighborhood near Clinton and Brawley has been without street lights for more than two months.   Long time resident Charges Fuller says vandals are responsible for the street lights going out.  "The wires have been cut to the posts.   I think they took the copper out of them."

Fuller has lived in the neighborhood for six years.   After the vandals hit he called the city. "When I called it in they needed the post numbers.   So I called the post numbers in and they told me it would take up to four months to make the repairs."

Gurdevp Shergill got the same reply when he called city hall.   He's lived in the neighborhood for seven years and he wants the city repair crews to move faster.  "We're just so concerned about the kids, about our families, people breaking into our house, kids getting run over by the cars or the cars crashing into each other.   It's a big concern that we have no light in the neighborhood.   The whole neighborhood."

Shergill says things have changed since the lights went out back in June.   He says just last week one of his neighbors was broken into after dark.

Shergill has complained to his city councilman Oliver Baines.  The councilman says he's working on the problem but so far it's still dark at night in Shergill's neighborhood.

Why is crime in the US at a historic low?

By Sudhir Venkatesh

Posted in the guardian.co.uk

Wednesday 31 August 2011 16.30 BST 

See the full post HERE

We may never know precisely what causes crime, but we know a lot about what can beat it: active citizens in strong communities.

Rudi Giuliani, mayor of New York (1993-2002): during his tenure, crime in the city fell dramatically, though the trend did pre-date his mayoralty and has continued since. Photograph: AP Photo/Gino Domenico

Nothing stirs up the American policymaking community like talking about crime. This is understandable when crime skyrockets, but anxiety levels have remained high even as America's crime rate has descended to its lowest level in 40 years. Scholars and wonks rush so quickly to claim credit – as quickly as they seek refuge to avoid blame – that getting to the core of the problem is not so easy. But when you leave aside the politicking, you find that it's actually more important to understand community responses to crime, rather than to figure out exactly how or why crime persists.

But fads are not easy to ignore. Consider the latest intellectual fashion that links imprisonment with reductions in crime rates. Simple enough in principle, but is it truthful (or just "truthy")? The chief proponent, besides US police and sheriff associations, is public policy Professor James Wilson, who argues that lengthier penal sentences keeps potential criminals behind bars.

In the other corner, groups like the Sentencing Project beg to differ, with some nifty statistics to prove their point (pdf) – for example, that the states where imprisonment was below the national average experienced the greatest drops in crime. It would be silly to ignore the positive effects of incarceration – some offenders do tend to transgress repeatedly over the life course, so keeping them off the streets is smart. But, it is equally foolhardy to think that incarceration is the always best answer. Canada, for instance, has much lower incarceration rates than the US, yet its crime rate is also low.

The problem is making generalisations across all crimes and across all US cities and states. Criminologists still really don't understand why Chicago's youth homicide rate went through the roof last year, while New York's stayed at a near-historic low. My colleague, "Freakonomics" economist Steven Levitt, shows that changing drug habits can affect some crimes but not others: homicides dropped after the early 1990s as crack became less popular, but other crimes did not.

Instead of studying why crime occurs, we should instead be looking at the capacity of communities to take action against it. Local public safety depends on the locals who can respond to criminal and delinquent acts before they destroy the social fabric. No region in America is free from social problems, but communities differ widely in terms of the capacity among citizens to respond. Recent research suggests that rather than fighting criminals directly, it may be as advantageous to help communities fight against crime. As we champion our favourite deterrents – prisons on the right, job growth on the left, we may want to remember that an active citizenry, able to defend itself, is a proven ingredient for ensuring public safety.

Tracey Meares, Yale University's renowned legal scholar, has demonstrated the power of "take back the night" vigils and protests for warding off criminals, especially when religious leaders lead the crusade and bring police aboard. Social scientists at Harvard argue that the best predictor for low crime rates is the "collectively efficacious" behaviour of residents – a fancy phrase that refers to the ability of neighbours to work together when things go awry. And David Kennedy has shown proven results with his "Ceasefire" programme, which focuses on issuing real threats to criminals, with consequences that are delivered swiftly.

Such efforts fall under a large umbrella called "community policing", which took off in the 1990s – and in Europe, the decade after. President Clinton helped cities hire 100,000 cops. Urban mayors from Chicago to Seattle to New York built local coalitions of residents, businesspersons, clergy, school principals and other so-called "stakeholders" who could respond to crime before it spiralled out of control.

The power of such coalition-style policing lies in the phalanx of crime fighters that confronts local criminals: not only do the perps feel the weight of the law around them, but they come to believe that law enforcement is sincere when it threatens to lock up criminals. In short, truth in advertising has proven to be an excellent deterrent to crime.

But "community policing" is subject to interpretation – and not surprisingly, left and right differ in predictable ways. Advocates of gun rights are quick to call for the need for relaxed weapons laws, while those on the left want community organisations to become even more empowered with federal funding and services.

Don't expect any of these debates to get settled soon. Instead, I'd recommend a simple exercise when the next theory about crime rates makes headlines. Ask yourself, what do communities do when crime occurs? Can they act "efficaciously"? Or are they held hostage by gangs, car thieves, vandals and other criminals? We may never understand with great precision what causes crime, but we can always empower citizens to respond when it occurs.

Armed Fresno County: Dramatic Increase in Concealed Weapons

Article by Corin Hoggard.

Posted by ABC30 on Friday, August 19, 2011

Read the article on ABC30's website HERE.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County is getting armed as the number of concealed weapons permits is rising drastically.

"I hear it's the number one issue of importance to people in Fresno County -- to be able to legally carry a concealed weapon," said Sheriff Margaret Mims.

The numbers show the increase has been dramatic. Last year, the Mims's office issued about 1500 concealed weapons permits. Through July of this year, the number was already about 1900. That puts the county on pace to issue more than 3000 permits in 2011.

Fresno County is now second in the state in issuing concealed weapons permits. One big trend Action News has already reported on is women getting permits. And many people applying for permits have a simple explanation: they're just afraid.

At the courthouse and in the office, attorney Peter Kapetan knows he could come across a dangerous situation, so he got a concealed weapons permit and started carrying a gun.

"Normally, I keep it locked and if I go out in the field, I'll carry one with me," he said.

Kapetan's permit expired, so he's re-applying. But because of a dramatic increase in applications, he'll wait about seven months for an interview with the Fresno County sheriff's office.

"Crime has skyrocketed and with the budget constraints, guys are getting let out of jail every day and I think people are starting to realize the police aren't always going to be there, so they're taking it into their own hands," Kapetan said.

Trainers at the Police Science Institute in northwest Fresno teach a required concealed weapons course for gun owners, focusing on gun safety, and when and where you can carry your weapon.

"It's not to be taken lightly," said trainer Steve Collins. "You also have to consider changes in your lifestyle. Maybe you'd like to go home and have a beer on your way home today. Well, if you've got a gun, you can't do that."

In 2007, Fresno County had 2727 active concealed weapons permits. Los Angeles County had 1237. And in all of San Francisco County, there were six permits.

The number in Fresno County has shot up to 4368 now, according to Mims, partly because she's lowered the bar for approving new applications. While other sheriffs require an imminent danger, she'll approve an application just for self-protection.

"I'd much rather have law-abiding citizens armed because our bad guys certainly are," Mims said.

The Fresno Police Department also issues concealed weapons permits. They have a much shorter waiting list, but they require eight hours of weapons training. The sheriff requires six hours.

(Copyright ©2011 KFSN-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

1 Arrested, 1 Sought in NW Fresno Home Invasion Robbery

Posted: Aug 19, 2011 11:50 AM PDT
by KMPH News.  Read the KMPH post HERE.

Fresno Police need the public's help to find a second man behind a home invasion robbery. It happened early Wednesday morning near Marks and Dakota.

The victims told police they had been sleeping when someone was banging on their front door.

Two men forced their way inside. One held a knife to family members while the other swept through the place, taking money and other items, investigators said.

28-year-old Frank Calderon was arrested in connection with the home invasion robbery. Police say he is a known gang member who had been paroled a week ago.

The second man is described as being 20 to 25-years-old. He's approximately 5'6" and weighs about 150 pounds. He has a thin build and was seen wearing a white t-shirt and blue-colored jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call Fresno Police at (559) 621-7000.

“Clovis Night Out” Offers Family Fun and Community Participation

Join the Clovis Police Department on Saturday, August 27th, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Clovis High School to meet the officers; learn about the new “Clovis Community Watch” neighborhood program; browse the food, game and boutique vendor booths; and enjoy an evening with family and friends. You’ll also see a variety of Clovis law enforcement/fire/sanitation equipment along with military displays. Kids can enjoy the “free” bounce houses and face painting. More information: katyb@cityofclovis.com or andyi@cityofclovis.com.

Clovis Night Out Flyer 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT Date: 7/22/11

Contact: Janet Stoll-Lee, Public Information Officer  (559) 324-2447

The 20 Worst Cities for Stolen Cars

By Jerry Edgerton | CBS MoneyWatch – Tue, Jun 21, 2011 9:10 AM EDT

Read original article HERE.

_________________________________________________________

What increases a car’s odds of being stolen? Apparently, it’s a California license plate, to judge by data compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In its annual Hot Spots Report, NICB identifies the metropolitan areas with the highest rate of car theft — and eight of the top 10 areas are in California, with the other two in Washington state.

The report also had a big of good news: The FBI statistics show a 7.2 percent decrease in auto theft nationwide over the previous year. “Improved anti-theft technology and law enforcement efforts have had a significant impact on thefts,” said NICB chief Joe Wehrle — although he pointed out that professional criminal rings and gangs still pose an  ongoing challenge to law enforcement, as well as to car owners.

Professional thieves are particularly active in California, since cars stolen there  can either be moved to Mexico for sale or shipped out to Asia in containers through the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland, says NICB spokesman Frank Scafidi. State and local budget troubles throughout California may also be causing cutbacks in police and prosecutors specializing in car theft, he added.

Car theft has by no means been banished from the Midwest and East Coast. The second half of the top 20 included Detroit, Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Macon, Ga. And not surprisingly, the metro areas where cars are least likely to be stolen tend to be small cities in relatively rural parts of their states. Car theft in the worst city in the U.S. — Fresno, Calif. — is 27 times as frequent as in State College, Pa. — the city with the lowest car theft rate.

Other small cities with low theft rates include Glenns Falls and Elmira, N.Y., Holland, Mich., Harrisonburg, W. Va., and Sheboygan, Wisc. To check the rate in your city, consult the full rankings at the NICB website.

Here’s a rundown of the 20 worst areas for car theft:

1. Fresno, Calif.

2. Modesto, Calif.

3. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.

4. Spokane, Wash.

5. Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif.

6. Sacramento, Calif. area

7. Stockton, Calif.

8. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.

9. San Francisco-Oakland, Calif. area

10. Yakima, Wash.

11. Laredo, Texas

12. Detroit, Mich. area

13. Seattle, Wash. area

14. Macon, Georgia

15. San Diego, Calif. area

16. Myrtle Beach, SC area

17. Las Vegas, Nev.

18. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.

19. Jackson, Miss.

20. Albuquerque, NM

But no matter where you live, you can take steps to protect your own car from theft. And don’t assume that because you have an older car, no one wants to steal it. The list of most-stolen cars includes many older, mid-priced models. 

Experts advise these precautions:

Discourage thieves: Many car boosters — whether professional or amateur — are looking for the easiest target. So they pass by vehicles that seem to defeat a quick grab. For around $50, you can buy The Club or other steering wheel lock; for about $80, you can get a “tire claw” lock that will keep one wheel from moving. Such locks add to the difficulty and time it takes to steal your car or truck

Sound the alarm: For $200 to $300, an auto electronics shop can install an alarm that will go off if the door is opened without a key. Be sure to get a decal that announces the alarm. The ear-assaulting alarm noise won’t stop all car thieves — but, like The Club, it might encourage them to seek another target.

Kill the engine: Cars, trucks and SUVs from recent years have a built-in system that prevents the vehicle from starting unless the engine computer gets a signal from the precisely matched key. To approximate this in an older car, you can get professional installation of a so-called kill switch. This disrupts the circuitry of the engine unless the switch is turned on. The installer will hide the switch somewhere reachable from the driver’s seat but where thieves cannot quickly find it.

Fresno Co. Budget Plan Will Save Deputies

Posted by the Fresno Bee at 06:19 PM on Friday, Jun. 17, 2011

The reporter can be reached at kalexander@fresnobee.com, 559-441-6679.

Read the full article HERE.

It didn't take long for Fresno County supervisors to decide how to spend $11.3 million they didn't think they had a day earlier.

The Board of Supervisors agreed Friday that the unanticipated revenue – which surfaced Thursday after a faulty budget projection was corrected – would be used to save the jobs of sheriff's deputies who had faced layoffs.

"It's the right thing to do to make this a priority," Sheriff Margaret Mims said.

Supervisors had been struggling to come up with what they thought was a roughly $30 million shortfall. Now that they realize the gap is just $20 million, they have scrapped their plan to lay off nearly 65 deputies and a dozen prosecutors in the District Attorney's Office.

Mims' 968-person department already has seen its ranks cut by 25% over the past three years. Patrol deputies have been among the casualties, as have correctional officers, which has prompted Mims to close three floors of the Fresno County Jail and release thousands of inmates early.

District Attorney Elizabeth Egan has said that cuts have hampered her ability to prosecute criminals.

The Board of Supervisors spent the past week debating its budget and still hasn't approved the $1.64 billion spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1.

But supervisors ended the week with several recommendations, which will go up for a vote at their Tuesday meeting.

The recommendation not to cut public safety is among the most popular with county watchdogs.

"I go all over the county, and everyone recognizes that they're not immune to crime," said Marilyn Kelarjian, president of the Fresno County Sheriff's Neighborhood Watch Association. "It's good to see the county is paying attention to our needs."

Other public services won't fare as well. The agreements reached Friday cut some departmental budgets by more than 10%.

Under the tentative plan, the county's park system would not see as much maintenance, and some parks would have scaled-back hours. Inspection of agricultural goods would slow. And enforcement of health codes and building regulations could stall.

The cuts also mean that dozens of county workers are likely to be laid off, a decision that will be made once department managers get their final budget numbers.

Like other cities and counties, the weak economy has hit Fresno County hard, prompting a third year of decreased spending.

The Board of Supervisors maintains discretion over $259 million of the total budget. The rest is tied to state and federal mandates.

The final budget decisions expected next week are likely to center around what projections should be made for the coming year, including how much the county should anticipate getting in labor concessions.

The budget plan drafted by the County Administrative Office assumes many departments will cut employee compensation by 10%, a target that Supervisor Henry Perea has called unrealistic.

New Neighborhood Watch in Kerman

The City of Kerman has a new Neighborhood Watch.  Residents on Michelle Avenue in Kerman first met on April 4th to organize their Watch.  The meeting was attended by Officer Sandra Mendoza of the Kerman Police Department, and by a representative of the Fresno County Sheriff's Neighborhood Watch Association.  Tonight's meeting was attended by Officer L. Ness of the K.P.D. who gave the residents home security tips.

New Neighborhood Watch signs, recently installed by City crews, were unveiled this evening too.

Officer Ness of the Kerman Police Department unveils the New Neighborhood Watch sign on Michelle Avenue.

Our Neighbors are watching.

The Michelle Avenue Neighborhood Watch group.

Fresno Sheriff's Deputies Could be Cut

Reported by: Kathryn Herr

Email: kherr@cbsfresno.com

Published: 6/13 11:21 pm
See the full story posted on CBS47.tv

Dozens of Sheriff’s deputies could be laid off in Fresno County.

The possible cuts were laid out Monday morning as Fresno County started hearings on the budget for the new fiscal year. And the cuts could impact public safety. 

“Now we’re at the point where we’re having to lay off sworn personnel, deputy sheriffs, if our budget continues to be cut,” said Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims. 

Mims says she has made drastic cuts to her department in the last four years, as the economy has worsened. So far, the layoffs have not included deputies who patrol the streets. 

“We have looked everywhere, we really have. And that’s why we laid off other personnel before we got to this point,” Mims said. 

But the Sheriff says she needs eight million dollars more from the County or she will have to lay off 64 deputies. If those deputies are cut, it will take longer to respond to calls for help. And fewer crimes will be investigated. 

“Their services are vital to the safety of this community,” said Frances Morrison, who has lived in the Fig Garden neighborhood of Fresno for nearly 20 years. The county island is patrolled by sheriff’s deputies.

“If it wasn't for what the Sheriff's Department does in my neighborhood, this neighborhood would be a ghetto,” said Morrison.

County supervisors have just started their hearings on the budget. It’s up to them to find that eight million dollars for the Sheriff’s Department to save the jobs of deputies.

“I think we all agree we're not going to lay off any deputy sheriff's,” said County Supervisor Henry Perea.

Last year at this time, no one believed the Sheriff would close a floor of the jail to balance the budget. But she did. Nearly two dozen correctional officers were laid off and thousands of inmates released early.

Special Report: Not-So-Undercover Boss

Special Report: Not-So-Undercover Boss

Reported by: Alicia Coates

Email: aliciacoates@cbsfresno.com

Published: 5/23 10:46am

Updated: 5/23 10:55am

With more than 26 years in law enforcement under her belt, Sheriff Margaret Mims has done it all.

She is the first female sheriff in Fresno County history and was also the first female police officer in the City of Kerman.

27-years-ago Margaret Mims became a deputy sheriff for Fresno County and worked her way up to sheriff, in charge of 11,000 employees. 

But in the last two years, due to historic budget cuts, Mims had to lay off 65 staff members, most of which were correctional officers. 

As a result, she's also had to close 3 floors of the county jail, leading to the early release of thousands of inmates, keeping only the most serious offenders behind bars.

Sheriff Mims said, "I keep murders, rapist, robbers, carjackers, and home invasion robbers."

Some of those criminals released early are rural ag thieves, stealing metal to sell to scrap yards and many re-offend as soon as they are released. "Many times it's a crime of meth users, where they get the quick cash to use for their meth habit," said Mims.

Sheriff Mims accepted CBS47’s "Not-so-Undercover Boss" challenge, to step out of her office and into the field, to see first hand what the Ag Crime Task Force does to save Fresno County money.

At one of the 9 metal yards in the county, a sting operation done by the Ag Team was successful. "Staking out the metal yard right now, and sure enough they stopped a car ended up being stolen, couple people in it that are wanted," said Mims.

Two people were arrested for being in possession of a stolen vehicle and trying to sell the metal illegally for cash.

On a daily basis, metal yards get approached by people trying to illegally sell metal.

Rick White with Bruno’s Iron and Metal said, I’ve seen everything, I gotta tell you, they steal everything from man hole covers, scaffolding at construction sites, which is steel, stakes for concrete that’s steal, all the way up to your copper wire off light poles. They down poles, the light poles…"

Stealing metal is a powerful blow to our local economy. "Since January, we've had almost half a million dollars worth of metal just in our ag crimes," said Mims.

Many of the ag thefts means farmers are getting ripped off and when that happens, they are stripped of tools they need to do their job. "The crop damage from irrigation valves and pump wire being stolen, it's just got to stop," said Rick White.

Since the sheriff implemented this ag crime task force 10 years ago, the amount of metal stolen from farmers has decreased. "Our amount of theft being reported is down," said Mims.

The ag crime team says they appreciate the sheriff taking the time out of her busy schedule to see first hand what they deal with on a daily basis.

Ag unit detective, Jennifer Evans said, “She likes to come out and check on what going on so that's a good thing."

The sheriffs department will work with metal yards and post pictures of stolen property, so a red flag goes up when someone tries to sell it.

Sheriff Mims agrees with White that it's beneficial for the two to work closely and have a good relationship with each other. "She does a great job and I have the utmost respect for her," said White.

It's this kind of team work that helps protect Fresno County residents and businesses from those who repeatedly rip them off.

Sheriff Mims said, "I’m proud of the Ag Task Force and the work they do. I’m proud of their relationships not only with the metal yard but with the business people so we put the word out.”

Neighborhood Watch Program Helping Fresno Police

As reported on CBS47 March 10, 2011

Reported by: Brittney Hopper

Roz Clark drives her own car, pays for her own gas, and puts her safety in jeopardy all to try and keep crime away from her neighborhood.

"We're looking for suspicious stuff and we're looking for stuff where people will look for an opportunity to burglarize you," said Clark.

For more than thirty years Clark has been with neighborhood watch. She's now the president of the program. She volunteers her time just like many others involved. The main purpose is to be another set of eyes for police. They're not supposed to confront anyone just simply call police and report it. Thursday night was the neighborhood watch program's annual meeting. Fresno Police Chef Jerry Dyer thanked volunteers for being the extra eyes around the city. Especially during difficult times with budget cuts.

"We've lost a fourth of our police department in the last two years and so it's very critical we have neighborhood watch expand throughout Fresno," said Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

As for Clark, it's more than being an extra set of eyes for police; it's about neighbors watching over each other.

"It's a program that has proven that it can help prevent crime," said Clark.

Sheriff Margaret Mims visits Dinuba neighborhood

By Linda Renn Dinuba Sentinel staff

editor@thedinubasentinel.com

Published: Thursday, February 3, 2011

Donna Mireles, a member of the Dinuba Police Advisory Commission, invited friends and neighbors to her home Monday night to hear an informal conversation with Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.

A handful of people, one who had her car stolen and another who has seen two home-invasion robberies of her home in 30 years, listened to a discussion about fighting crime through community involvement.

Mims said that “Neighborhood Watch” groups are tried and true and that citizen patrols can be the eyes and ears of law enforcement.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims answers questions in the living room of Donna Mireles' Dinuba home Monday night. (Photo by Linda Renn | The Sentinel)

“What you're doing right now is a Neighborhood Watch meeting – intuitively,” said Mims as she looked around the living room of Mireles' home. “It can be organized block by block.”

Mireles, who earlier told the Sentinel she had invited Mims to her home because she admires her, told Mims, “Sometimes I feel that we're not important enough … police don't get there in time.”

Mireles said, “What I wish is that we would get more people ... to come to us as a commission.”

Carol Knoy, a former member of the Police Advisory Commission, said that people are sometimes intimidated to come before the commission to air their complaints. She also said that the Dinuba Police Department has some good officers.

Scott Harness, a Dinuba city council member and a former member of the Police Advisory Commission, said that the city has a lot of ordinances in place for public safety.

For instance, he said solicitors selling satellite television or hoping to clean your carpet are prohibited from going door-to-door. Also, vendors and panhandlers are not allowed to work on the streets.

Harness said people should call the police when they see these things happen. If three hours pass and a vendor is still working the streets, then come to the commission to talk about it, he said.

Mims encouraged the group to get more involved with law enforcement.

“You need to work in cooperation with your chief and city council,” she said. “Go to your chief and say you want to start a citizen patrol. That's what your law enforcement leader likes to hear is, “How can we help you?'"

A check with the Dinuba Police Department on Tuesday showed that the city of Dinuba already has a citizens patrol and a Neighborhood Watch program in place.

Police Chief James Olvera, who was unaware that Mireles had hosted Mims at a meeting, said there are 13 citizens in the current volunteer police academy.

When they finish with the academy, these people will join the other trained volunteers who help officers in many ways including citizens patrol, assisting with traffic and ferrying police paperwork to the Tulare County District Attorney's Office in Visalia or Tulare.

There are other ways that citizens can get involved with the police department, said Olvera, including the Explorer program and ride-alongs.

Anyone interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch on their block can call the police department at 591-5914.