Friday, May 15, 2009

Who you gonna call?

If there's something strange
In your neighborhood.
Who you gonna call?

Sure, call Ghostbusters if you're on the market for a little paranormal elimination.

If, on the other hand, you would like to share your crime concerns with a Lieutenant, are looking for information about crime in your area (including following up on a concern logged previously), or are interested in learning how to start a Neighborhood Watch, then call your friendly neighborhood Area Commander or Community Service Officer (CSO).

Who are these fine folks?, you might ask. Six CSOs serve as the liaisons between the community and the police department. These are your "go to" people for all sorts of community organizing and program needs (e.g., National Night Out, arranging a police visit to a school to talk about stranger danger).

Check out the map below to find out who the CSO is for your area. Then call or drop an e-mail to introduce yourself. I've met three of the CSOs thus far; they are a knowledgable and approachable bunch. Let them know how they can support your efforts to bite crime and build community.

Each of the four Area Commanders are in charge of coordinating the policing efforts in a specific quadrant of our city. Pick up the phone and call your Area Commander (see map below) to raise a concern (e.g., "We're really worried by all the people going in and out of that vacant building. Can someone look into it and get back to me?"). What?! Ask an Area Commander to get back to you? How forward!

Indeed. In fact, Acting Cheif Keetle explained during a recent community/PD meeting that one of his goals in developing the Area Commander model is to make sure every one of us has a single person on the PD to touch base with when we have concerns about crime in our neighborhoods and when we need to follow up on issues raised previously (vs. bouncing from person to person in hopes of finding the gal or guy who is able to answer your question).

The four Area Commanders will meet regularly with the public -- residents of their quadrant and everyone else -- to respond to concerns, offer updates on special initiatives, etc. The next such meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 9th at 7 PM in Council Chambers. Lt. Rilloraza will respond to any concerns he's heard about in the area North of Holt and East of Garey. So, call him with your concerns and then show up to the meeting to hear what he can tell us.

(I'm curious to know if anyone else has the Ghostbusters theme song cursing through their noggin.)


Lt Commander Areas

CSO District Map May 2009

1 comment:

  1. You were so fast with the PD budget cuts, I completely missed this one. Thanks for all the info. For all the grief that Pomona gets, I'm constantly impressed by the innovation that happens every day. It's a wonderful time to live in the city.

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