VaHi Safety Team Report: March 7, 2013
By: John Wolfinger
Another Citizen’s Police Academy Session
APD has announced the next Citizen’s Police Academy starting 4/17/2013 for 7 weeks every Wednesday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Police Academy on the far south side of the city near the main post office. Deadline for applications is 3/30 and contact Sergeant Chad Hannula for an application at [email protected] and Lieutenant J. Durant for questions at [email protected] I’ll also be glad to answer questions as I am a graduate with class #15. Sessions include ride alongs with officers while on duty, an evening at the 911 call center and many other memorable experiences. Graduation is also a memorable experience as it is combined with a regular police academy graduation (complete with the police bagpiper).
The Publix Georgia Marathon
This huge race is again scheduled to run thru VaHi on 3/17. See the race route and other details on travel that day at http://www.georgiamarathon.com or at this related story on the VHCA website. Plan ahead and avoid frustrations that Sunday morning as you are out and about.
The Jan. 27 Sexual Assault on Virginia Avenue
I received this message from Sergeant E. Britton as to the status of this investigation. He replied to me – “I have been asked to respond to your enquiry into a sexual assault on Virginia Avenue. This investigation has been closed with no arrest. I hope that you understand that given the sensitive nature I must protect my victim first. I can assure you there is no threat to the community from anyone concerned with this investigation. The victim is being offered all available assistance in this matter. I thank you and the community for their concerns.”
This really is all I know – so please do not ask me for further information.
Juvenile Justice and APS Police News
The Georgia General Assembly is in the process of producing drastic new legislation as to our juvenile justice system. I am glad that this controversial subject has been faced and steps are being worked on to improve how our total juvenile system will operate. These juvenile offenders either stand to be led into being productive law abiding adults or continue their law breaking lifestyle into their adult lives. Some of the story at http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/push-begins-to-reform-juvenile-justice-system/nWJbt/ and at http://www.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/georgia-house-approves-juvenile-justice-overhaul/nWc4R/
This surprising article about success in Clayton County with juvenile offenders is at http://www.ajc.com/news/news/clayton-juvenile-program-becomes-model-for-state-r/nWg6f/. Thanx to David Berl for pointing out to me this interesting NY Times article about juvenile work in NYC http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/nyregion/to-stem-juvenile-robberies-police-trail-youths-before-the-crime.html?hp&_r=0 Since APS is considering creating their own police force, I would hope that something of these NY and Clayton County models could be incorporated, instead of just creating a new guard force. http://www.ajc.com/news/news/atlanta-schools-may-create-own-police-force/nWgF7/ We need to be getting at the root of the problem of juvenile crime to avoid creating yet another generation of law-breaking adults. I also applaud the folks who are working with the Bedford Pines kids here in our neighboring Old 4th Ward to break the criminal cycle there via the YoBoulevard! program, and giving them positive adult role models.
The following reports are from our APD Zone 6 (http:atlantapd.org/Zone6.aspx) crime stats for the 2013 weeks of 6 and 7 (2/3 to 2/16) for our VaHi Beat 601, along with news from around the Zone as it affects us. Again, I state, these reports are not meant to scare anyone, but to make you aware of what happens around us everyday, and to raise your alertness. Thanx to our Zone 6 Officer Dodson for getting us caught up with these reports with the new APD reporting model. I know that this has been a big job to adjust to this new system.
Aggravated Assault – No reported incidents in Beat 601
Auto Theft – A car was stolen from North Highland Avenue and a pickup truck (with a lot of tools inside) was stolen from a construction site on PDL Terrace.
Commercial Burglary – No reported incidents in Beat 601
Nearby, at the AFR station # 10 on Boulevard in Grant Park, the station was entered via a broken front window. I am assuming that the firemen were out on a call at the time and that there is an alarm system for the building. The responding officer was on Boulevard at the traffic lite in front of the staion when the call came to him. The perp was caught as he was climbing back out of the broken window.
Residential Burglary – The following burglary incidents seem to be the end of our spate of these incidents – I have not heard of any more residential burglaries after week 7. A Barnett Street apartment was entered via a broken window. A Highland View home was entered via a broken rear basement window. A Highland Green Way residence was entered via a kicked-in back door. A PDL Terrace home was entered via a rear window left open for cat usage. On PDL Place two apartment units were entered via kick-in front doors at the Highland View complex. A Cooledge Avenue home was entered via a crawl space hole. On Virginia Avenue a rear patio door was kicked in for entry (but nothing taken). Also on Virginia Avenue an entry was aborted by the resident who arrived home at the right time. This home was also the source of the youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxriryS56ao that I posted on my last report.
Commercial Robbery – No reported incidents in Beat 601
Residential Robbery – No reported incidents in Beat 601
Larceny From Vehicle – Vehicles were entered on Virginia Avenue, North Highland Avenue, St. Charles Avenue (2) and a catalytic converter was sawed off on Greenwood Avenue.
Larceny Other – Tools were taken from the 2nd floor balcony of a Barnett Street apartment.
Nearby at the Target store in the Edgewood Retail District, 6 non-paying “customers” were caught.
Pedestrian Robbery – No reported incidents in Beat 601
Nearby, a 13 y/o Inman School student was robbed at knifepoint on Euclid Avenue. The young victim identified one of the suspects as a fellow Inman classmate.
PLEASE, PLEASE remember the CLEAN CAR CAMPAIGN and keep ALL parked cars cleaned out at ALL times. Also remind your visitors and customers of this vital rule to avoid becoming a victim and having to get a new car window. Vehicle break-ins are a crime we can so easily prevent.
Stay alert.