crime prevention news and tips - City of Woodland

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2016-01. 1. IN THIS ISSUE. 1. Invest time in knowing your neighbor 2. ... Neighborhood Watch is the best and easiest way
2016-01

CRIME PREVENTION NEWS AND TIPS WOODLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT 1000 LINCOLN AVENUE, WOODLAND CA 95695

IN THIS ISSUE 1. Invest time in knowing your neighbor 4. Vacation Home Check

2. Nextdoor.com

3. Predictive Policing

5. Bright Idea-Lights to deter crime

Invest time in knowing your neighbor Neighborhood Watch is the best and easiest way to learn about crime trends, disaster preparedness, home security and personal safety issues. It also serves as a way to alert your neighbors to potential problems. Perhaps you or someone you know was a victim of a home burglary; it is to your advantage to communicate this to your neighbors so they can be aware and keep an eye out. Maybe you’ve seen signs of drug dealing or there has been a string of thefts from yards and vehicles. Or perhaps nothing has happened and you want to keep it that way. Either way, you can make a difference by getting together with neighbors who share your concerns. To get involved, please contact our Crime Prevention Specialist, Mini Garcia at 661-7875 or via email at [email protected]

3 key elements that will eliminate fear and make any neighborhood safer and stronger First: Wor k together . Ther e is str ength in number s. By getting to know your neighbor s, you create an environment where residents support each other and don’t feel isolated or alone in the midst of criminal activity. Second: Repor t cr ime or suspicious activity. Become educated on how to r epor t suspicious activity safely and if necessary, anonymously. Neighborhood Watch is about being the eyes and ears of law enforcement, not the arm and legs. No one is ever encouraged to put themselves in any danger when witnessing crime or suspicious activity. Third: Meet at a safe location. You don’t have to meet wher e the pr oblem is; you can meet sever al blocks away at a local church, community center, city hall or even our police department.

A Connected Community is a Safer Community Nextdoor.com is the private social network for you, your neighbors and your community. It is free and it's one of the easiest ways for you and your neighbors to talk online. Help prevent crime in your neighborhood by receiving safety updates from the Woodland Police Department.

Many neighborhoods in Woodland are already using Nextdoor to build safer places to call home. Nextdoor can help:

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Quickly get the word out about a break-in Stay connected with WPD Organize a Neighborhood Watch group Track down a trustworthy babysitter Find out who does the best paint job in town Ask for help keeping an eye out for a lost dog Find a new home for an outgrown bike Directly and securely communicate with neighbors 1

2016-01

CRIME PREVENTION NEWS AND TIPS

To optimize our limited resources, we are utilizing the latest technology to complement our traditional enforcement strategies. The Woodland Police Department uses a tool called Predictive Policing, or PredPol for short, to help fight crime. The mission of PredPol is simple: place officers at the right time and location to give them the best chance of preventing crime. PredPol uses only the following three data points at making predictions: past type of crime, place of crime and time of crime. It uses no personal information about individuals or groups of individuals, eliminating any personal liberties and profiling concerns. Researchers based these studies on information that officers inherently know. For example, when people are victims, the risk that they or their neighbors will be victimized again increases. Offenders criminalize familiar areas and there are detectable patterns associated with the times and locations of their crimes. PredPol does not give police the exact hour or street, but it gets our officers closer than before. During these times when we have less officers and limited budget to use for enforcement strategies, we seek more creative ways of enforcement.

Leaving home for a period of time or taking a welldeserved vacation? Let the Police Department know your plans. Our Volunteers in Policing and police officers will provide extra patrol as time permits. There is no cost to you for this service, just complete a form and submit. The more detailed the information you provide, the easier it is for us to determine if anything is amiss, or to contact you in an emergency should the need arise. To learn more about this service, contact us at (530) 661-7875. As a safety precaution, only tell those that need to know about your plans to be away, make arrangements to stop your deliveries, or have someone tend to them in your absence. Never post vacation photos or make comments about being away from home on any social media sites or in voice mail messages; save your postings until you have arrived back home. Remember to be safe and help protect your property.

Want a bright idea? Protect your family, property and neighborhood by turning on your porch light and side/rear yard lights. It is a cost-effective way to discourage vandalism and burglaries, when compared to a burglary that could result in a loss of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. With increased lighting you will deter crime and be able to identify suspicious activity or people. Consider installing a motion activated light; you will see people but they cannot see you.

TO REPORT CRIME EMERGENCY

911

NON-EMERGENCY

(530) 666-2411

Crime Prevention News and Tips is published for Woodland residents by our Crime Prevention Unit of the Woodland Police Department. Please send comments or suggestions to Crime Prevention Specialist, Mini Garcia at (530) 661-7875 or via email at [email protected] 2