You will probably hear a lot about community policing in the coming months. Especially if you are taking the time to read what I write. After all, I am one of the Interactive Community Policing supervisors here at the Central Division.
When it comes to the concept of problem-solving, community policing isn’t new, it’s just a new, fancy name. Today’s community police officer is what was once known as the beat cop – a police officer who had the time to know residents and business owners by name and felt responsible for his beat.
Our City’s size won’t allow us to go back to the walking beat cop, but you still have the opportunity to meet the police officers who patrol your neighborhood.
If you live in a neighborhood with an active Crime Watch, find out when it meets and attend a meeting. The police officers who patrol your neighborhood attend these meetings to meet you and your neighbors.
For information about existing Crime Watches, or to start one in your neighborhood, call Kevin King at 670-5071.
Crime Victim Seminar
Operation Weed and Seed will conduct Family and Domestic Violence Crime Victim Seminars in March. It is a collaborative effort of the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office.
The seminars will be in English and Spanish and will cover reporting a crime; bail and court procedures; case procedures at the District Attorney’s office; victim and witness assistance resources; and legal remedies for victims of family violence.
A question and answer session will follow the presentation. Both seminars are scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at Munger Place United Methodist Church, Live Oak and Bryan. The Spanish seminar will be March 7, and the English seminar will be March 9.
For information, call me at 670-4420.
One More Time…Immunize
You may have read about the Weed and Seed immunization clinics, but there are some things that just need to be repeated – especially when it involves the health and well-being of children.
Last fall, due to concerns reported by the governor’s office that six of every 10 Texas preschool age children were not properly immunized, the Dallas Police Department teamed up with the Woodrow/Long Health Center and DISD to offer monthly, low-cost, mobile immunization clinics for children up to age 18.
The immunizations are given by the Woodrow/Long staff in a Police Department mobile storefront at a different elementary school each month in East Dallas. The cost is $3 per child for all immunizations, but services will not be denied for inability to pay.
The schedule for the remaining school year is March 6 at Lipscomb Elementary, 5801 Worth; April 10 at Bonham Elementary, 2617 North Henderson; and May 8 at J.W. Ray Elementary, 2211 Caddo.
The clinics are open from 3-6 p.m. Parents must be present, and please bring all previous immunization records. For information, call Dale McEowen and Priscilla Zapata at the Woodrow/Long Health Center at 841-5295.
