Community Roll Call

Recently the Wauwatosa Block Watch Program welcomed it's 600th organized block watch and a great web story was written by TosNOW staff that can be read by following this link - http://www.wauwatosanow.com/story/index.aspx?id=806903

Officer Leist and I spend alot of time conducting Block Watch and other community meetings and as he mentioned in his story regarding the 600th Block Watch we always encounter people "Afraid to bother the Police". As I have mentioned in past blogs having a person ignore or rationalize suspicious behavior is very frustrating for the Police. Often when investigating a crime we find that a suspicious person and/or vehicle was observed in the area but no call was made to the Police and if a call was made it may have prevented the crime or resulted in an arrest of the "Bad guy".

So what is suspicious? Well a person walking past our home is not, but that same person who makes several passes past the house should warrant a closer look. If that person is looking up and down driveways, into garages, windows or vehicles; that too needs a closer look by police. A vehicle driving past the house is not suspicious but if that same vehicle makes several passes the police should be notified. A strange vheicle in a driveway, sitting occupied on the street, sitting unoccupied with windows down in inclement weather and the service truck parked in an unoccupied home's driveway all should be reported to the Police.

Now this posting does not identify all the possible activities that can be suspicious but use your judgement and never be afraid or hesitant to call the Police to have them investigate, it is our job to investigate suspicious activity. I hope this helps clarify when and why we should call in suspicious things; alert neighbors are a great crime prevention tool and if we continue to look out for each other Wauwatosa will continue to be a great neighborhood to live, work and raise a family.

Recently a robbery took place in the City where a photograph of the suspect was published via the media and a suspect arrested that same night. Of course the judicial system will have to determine if the right person was arrested, but the fact that one picture produced some immediate feedback from the public is truly amazing. I am often asked about the use of security cameras and here is a clear example of how well they can work. Many times the threat of being recorded is a deterrent; but if not a deterrent and the criminal still commits a crime it can be a huge tool in solving the crime.

The key however is to have extremely good equipment. Although I am not an expert in security systems I do have some basic ideas as to what works best. Digital versus tape recording is very superior in quality and allows for non blurred still prints to be captured. Also important is to have a color camera versus a black and white and given your use and needs maybe low lighting issues need to be addressed.

If you think you have a need to install or upgrade an exisiting video surveillance system do some research, find some reputable security firms and speak to more than one professional and go from there.

Please take a few minutes to review the list of safety tips and then discuss them with your trick or treaters.

• Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes
• Costumes should be loose fitting to allow for warmer clothes underneath
• Costumes shoud not be so long that they are a tripping hazard
• Masks can obstruct a child's vision. Use face make up instead
• If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings as well as large eye holes
• Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light colored or reflective
• Do not enter homes or apartments without adult supervision
• Walk don't run from house to house
• Do not cross yards
• Walk on sidewalks, not in the street
• Walk on the left side of the road. Face traffic if there are no sidewalks
• Give your trick or treat bunch a meal or snack before going out
• Have at least one adult go with the children, more if the group is larger
• Trick or treat in areas where there are a lot of people around
• Trick or treat folks should avoid taking short-cuts through alleys and parking lots
• Always check your child's candy before allowing them to eat
• And of course, ensure your trick or treat bunch is having fun

Did I miss something? If so, contact me at dsemega@wauwatosa.net

Do you have a cell phone? Just about everyone uses them to communicate with one another. One glaring problem that we face is the call fading out, which is usually due to people being on the move. While the cell phone's purpose is to allow people mobility, there are many times when 911 operators or other rescue and safety operators cannot get the required information to send help or even call you back should you just be leaving a message for some basic service. Following are some suggestions that may help avoid this problem. When calling stop moving and give your message and do not move until you have completed your call and the information needed has been shared; if you are just leaving a message for a return call we recomment that you stop moving and give the information and a call back number twice, going slowly. This should ease the communication process and allow us to provide you with better service.