Citizens on Patrol update

The COPP volunteers are now fully equipped with radios for their patrols. Since our last update in July, the shoulder microphones for the 800MHz radios have come in, according to Lt. Tom Williams, Jr., Coordinator of this NPD-sponsored program. He tells us the volunteers have already expanded their patrols to all four corners of the city after getting their feet wet initially walking the streets of West Norwood. Walking in groups of 3, they’re trying to get out 2-3 times per week. They use daily reports to record the date, time, location of each walk, as well as what they come across.

And guess what Lt. Williams says they come across a lot. Graffiti - lots and lots of graffiti. And guess what else. They’re trying to clean it off wherever they find it! Seeing some on a public mailbox recently, they even sought and got permission from the Postmaster to remove it carefully with paint thinner. This sounds above and beyond the call of duty to us, and calls for a big thank you to our volunteers, doesn’t it? Thank you, COP volunteers, for helping to rid us of this blight on our surroundings!

But it’s not only about graffiti. They’re also passing along possible violations they spot to the Health and Building Depts. for follow up later. Residents approach them with these, too, as well as give them positive feedback for their presence in our neighborhoods.

Now for gym shoes on overhead utility wires. Ever seen these and wondered why someone would deliberately throw them over a wire? It might be a juvenile prank, but according to Lt. Williams, it might also be a way to alert drug addicts they’re in the right area to make a buy. The COP volunteers have found these in 4 different locations in our city, and 4 different times Public Works employees have been called to remove them. Now we all know to call Public Works (456-4615) if we see these ourselves.

Lt. Williams says there are 3 new volunteers for the COP Program. Two of them may have finished their training by now at the Cincinnati Citizens on Patrol Academy. If you’re interested in joining this great effort to keep our neighborhoods safer, contact Lt. Williams at the NPD at 458-4545.

And last but not least, our thanks to Lt. Williams who has generously offered to give us useful crime fighting tips, things we can all do to prevent becoming victims of crime. We plan on publishing a few of his tips next month.