December 2008
Wichita Police Department’s Mission Statement
The Wichita Police Department’s mission is to provide professional and ethical public safety services in partnership with citizens to identify, prevent and solve the problems of crime, fear of crime, social disorder and neighborhood decay, thereby improving the quality of life in our community
My goal as 11 beat coordinator is to work closely with the community to comprehensively analyze a problem and how to handle it. This is done through problem-solving partnerships between the police and the citizens.
Community involvement is an integral part of any long-term problem solving success.
Along with the community I want to seek new approaches to addressing old problems.
Above you will see the beat officers photos and their names. I count it a great opportunity to work with them and know that they are mindful of the welfare of others.
Community Commitment
Greetings:
This month we will be focusing on two important items. One is safe shopping tips. These tips will help you enjoy the holiday season and help prevent and reduce crime. The other item is drug houses. These can be anywhere. With your help in identifying and reporting we can make our neighborhoods safer.
Safe Shopping Tips
Safeguard Your Money
Leave the oversized purse at home and put the cards and cash you need in a wallet close to your body, preferably under a Jacket or sweater. Having to reach under your sweater to get to the wallet in your breast pocket will lessen the chance your pocket will be picked.
Protect Your PIN Number
Stand between the next person in line and the debit card machine when entering your pin number. Do not worry about being rude, it is impolite to stand in view of a person’s personal banking information.
Secure Your Purchases
The bait-and-switch trick is popular during the holidays where someone will switch worthless bag for yours when you are not looking. Do not look away. Keep eye or a hand on your bag at all times.
Keep It Light
Do not try to carry a large number of bags around. After collecting three or so bags, take them to your car, and put them out of sight in a securely locked compartment. This way you can shop in comfort and have less of a chance of losing your purchases to criminals.
Be Aware Of Your Surroundings
More so than protecting your valuables, you should also protect your person. Do not walk in abandoned parking lots or halls alone. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, find mall security and ask for an escort. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, do whatever you must to draw attention to yourself.
Keep An Eye On Your Children
Do not get so caught up in your shopping that you fail to watch your children. With more people in the malls at this time of the year, you have a greater chance of your child being in danger if left alone or allowed go to the rest rooms alone. If your child cannot be with you at all times while shopping, leave them at home, or bring another child with you to keep them company. (No child under 10 should be in a mall without parental supervision for any reason, ever!)
Don’t Leave Personal Items Visible In Your Car
Make sure you lock your purchases and other personal items in the trunk of your car. If you drive an SUV or van, put them beneath the seats or on the floor between the front and back seats, then cover them up with an old coat or blanket. And, whatever you do, don’t leave your vehicle unattended while warming up in cold weather. That’s an invitation to thieves to steal it.
For more crime prevention information
call the Wichita Police Department
Community Affairs Section at 268-4101.
Drug Houses may be in your neighborhood
Please provide as much information as you can about the situation
The following Hyperlink directs you to a suspicious activity form.
This form may be used to report suspicious activity that may be linked to gang, drug, or other illegal activities in Wichita
http://wichita.gov/CityOffices/Police/Forms/SuspiciousActivity.htm
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DRUG HOUSES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
I would like to address three questions that I am often asked by citizens on the phone or at a neighborhood association meeting regarding possible drug houses in their respective neighborhood:
How do I know whether a drug house is active in my neighborhood?
Drug House Danger Signs
Increased short-term auto and pedestrian visits at unusual times during the day and night to a particular house or apartment.
Increase in litter such as used syringes, plastic bag, glass pipes, bottles, trash, stacks of used matches, and graffiti.
Increase in crimes like auto burglaries, home burglaries, robbery, vandalism, and assault.
Increase in noise such as loud voices, parties, fights, gunfire, and loud radios especially at night.
Active prostitution in or around the neighborhood.
Residences with blacked out windows.
Unusual, strong odors (like cat urine, ether, ammonia, acetone or other chemicals)
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What kind of information would the Wichita Police Department like about a drug house in my neighborhood?
Drug sellers: (specific description) Name, race, sex, age, height and weight, hair, build and complexion, dress, scars, marks, or tattoos, and distinct features (limp, piercings, beard etc.).
Drug seller/Drug supplier’s car: (detailed description of seller’s/ supplier’s car only) color, make, model, license tag number, and 2 or 4 door.
Address: (complete address) number and street, apartment, upper, lower, or side-by-side.
Building or House: (general description) color, constructed of (siding, brick, etc.), type of building (apartment, house, duplex, business, garage, etc.).
Windows: (something out of the ordinary) used as a lookout or blacked out (sheets, paper, foil, etc.)
Drug buyers: (general characteristics as a whole) Age range, races (white, black, hispanic, asian, mixed, or other), dress, and male or female.
Types of drugs: (IF POSSIBLE, kind of drugs that are sold at the house) marijuana, crack, cocaine, methamphetamine, etc.
Times of activity: (heaviest times that drug buyers visit) times of the day, day of the week, vehicle color, make, model, and license tag number.
Vehicles or walk-ups: (where do drug buyers park their vehicles or where do walkers come from) park (in front, down the street, alley, etc.) walk (cut through backyard, alley, etc.)
Weapons
Pictures/ Videos
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How do we get rid of a drug house?
Contacting SCAT (Special Community Action Team)
The Wichita Police Department recognizes that we cannot win the war against gangs and drugs alone. Gangs and drugs affect all of us and often destroy our community and families. We need your help, DO NOT look the other way and say it's not my problem. We need the community to get involved to be our extra eyes and ears. Get involved!
Please report drug and gang activity in your neighborhood to the Special Community Action Team (SCAT). SCAT is the enforcement arm of community policing, which primarily specializes, in street level drug and gang activity.
Any information received by you will be kept confidential and you will be doing your community a service. YOU can make a difference by calling the Patrol West Bureau S.C.A.T Team at 337-9400 or 267-SCAT.
Crime Stoppers: 267-2111
Organizing Neighborhood Watch – 268-4101
Block by block community mobilization is the most powerful weapon in the war on drugs. A neighborhood watch is the fastest, safest, and most effective way to rid your neighborhood of a drug house and prevent it from coming back. Why? Your neighbors and you coming together gives you power and power gives you results to take back your neighborhood block. For information on starting a neighborhood watch you can call me at (316) 337-9400 or Community Affairs at 268-4101
Gbirdwell@wichita.gov