Crime and what you can do about it
If you check out the Portland Crime Map (www.portlandmaps.com) for our neighborhood, it's apparent that theft from cars and vehicle theft are two of the most common type of crimes in our neighborhood. It's also apparent when you're biking down a busy street and see a smattering of broken glass in front of you that you have to quickly zigzag around.
The issue of car break-ins was brought up at our February BNA board meeting by a long time resident who wondered what we could do about it. And unfortunately, a car owned by a person that came to our BNA meeting last night had their car broken into while they were there, and valuable items were stolen.
Here are some resources and tips for dealing with with robbery and car break-ins. First (and this may seem obvious, but nevertheless it’s sound advice), lock your car and if you must keep valuables in your car, put them in the trunk.
The Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) has a designated crime Prevention Coordinator for each group of neighborhoods. Ours is:
Angela Wagnon
503-823-4094
angela.wagnon@portlandoregon.gov
How to Report non-Emergency Crimes and Request Street Sweeping:
(Tip: Add these numbers to your cell phone so you can call them easily!)
- Police non-emergency line: 503-823-3333
Website: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/cor/
- Street Sweeping request line: 503-823-1750 (day) or 503-823-1700 (night)
Website: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/319704
The more reports are made to the police non-emergency line in our area, the more the police can become aware of crime trends, which gives us traction to request increased patrols. If they don't know about it, they can't address it.
Crime prevention is in the best interests of both residents and business owners. It is up to us to watch out for each other. Neighborhood involvement is the best way to prevent crime. Walk your street, smile and say hello to people, or at least look them in the face. Keep your porch light on to increase street illumination. If you're really concerned, you can form a Neighborhood Watch, Community Foot Patrol, or just ask your neighbors to keep their porch lights on and keep a watchful eye out. At this moment, I am the only person on the Safety and Livability Committee for Boise Neighborhood. If you're interested in forming a Watch or some other safety and livability initative, email me at katyewolf@gmail.com.
Stay safe,
Katy Wolf
Your Safety and Livability Chair