Sheriff’s Office targets neighborhoods and neighbors to keep watch

By Raymond Drumsta August 4, 2010, 8:35 pm

ITHACA — Neighborhood watches and targeted patrolling have led to a sharp decline in burglaries this year, according to Tompkins County sheriff’s officials. There were only 14 burglaries in Tompkins County from January to June this year, compared to 46 in the same period last year, according to Capt. Derek Osborne of the sheriff’s office. This decline occurred during an economic downturn, which is usually a time of increased property crimes, he added.

The sheriff’s office began a new approach toward burglaries after determining that residential burglaries were the highest reported serious crime in their jurisdiction, Osborne said.

“Historically, burglaries were reactively responded to rather that taking a more pro-active approach,” he said.

Though the sheriff’s office jurisdiction is relatively rural, officials decided on a policing method, often used by larger agencies, which utilizes community involvement and targeted patrolling, he added.

“This is often referred to as the ‘broken windows theory,’” Osborne explained, “meaning that if you target the small quality-of-life issues, a reduction in larger problems will follow.”

A similar approach was used in traffic enforcement, he added, identifying roadways with higher incidents of deaths and injuries, then cracking down on speeding and other violations in those areas.

The neighborhood watches grew out of citizens’ queries about burglaries, he said. Sometimes when information about an incident was repeated and circulated, people began to think that one incident was actually several incidents, he added.

“It became apparent that communication needed to be provided to keep people better informed about immediate concerns affecting them,” he said. “Without such communication, rumors often develop, and people become nervous.”

They held community meetings for the Whispering Pines and East King Roads neighborhoods late last year after noticing a spike in burglaries in those areas, Osborne said. Many people attended the Whispering Pines meeting, and he and Sgt. Dan Donahue gave a presentation on burglary patterns, modus operandi and burglary prevention tips, he added.

“Someone from the group volunteered to be the group spokesperson and maintain an e-mail list-serve for neighbors,” he said. “When an incident or problem comes to the attention of the sheriff’s office, I e-mail the information to the spokesperson, who in turn forwards it to everyone else. So far, this system seems to be working well.”The neighborhood watch began reporting suspicious activities, and deputies were given up-to-date information on burglaries so they could patrol those areas more heavily, Osborne said.

Burglaries are down, and just as important, they successfully engaged the citizens in the affected areas, said Sheriff Peter Meskill.

“By organizing them and using them as our eyes and ears, we’re able to respond more quickly,” he said. “It’s how police work should be done. We’re trying to help start more neighborhood watches because they make a true difference in reducing and deterring crime.”

“Anyone who wants to start a neighborhood watch should contact me,” Osborne said. The sheriff’s office will use the Whispering Pines neighborhood watch as a model, and they’re willing to give presentations or help out with it in other ways, he added.

Those in interested in starting neighborhood watches should contact Meskill or Osborne at (607) 257-1345.

Tompkins County Sheriff’s office receives child passenger safety grant

August 18, 2010, 8:25 am

Sheriff Peter Meskill has announce that the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office has received a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for $8,500 to participate in the statewide “Child Passenger Safety Program.”

The grant provides money to purchase child safety seats to replace old seats and provide seats to Tompkins County residents that cannot afford them. The grant also pays to train Sheriff’s deputies so the deputies can show caregivers how to properly install car seats to provide the maximum safety for children riding in cars.

The Sheriff’s Office routinely schedules monthly child safety seat inspections. If you need to have your child safety seat checked, be shown how to properly use or install a seat, and/or are need of a new seat contact the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office at 257-1345 to schedule an appointment

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