Rosemont West Neighborhood Association

Crime Prevention

Dec 03, 2000

On the crime prevention front, there is good news and bad news. Basically the crime rate in our neighborhood has not increased in recent years. Tucson Police statistics indicate crime patterns in our neighborhood have changed little in recent years. We still have a few crimes against property but, thankfully, crimes against people are rare.

Bad News

Reports of suspicious activity by our residents are down. That may sound like a good thing, but it may mean that we're paying less attention to unusual happenings. The key to a safe neighborhood is to watch out for one another. We need to do more of that! On several occasions here, neighbors saw burglars climb into a neighboring yard and, either did not call the police, or waited too long. If you see a stranger climb into a neighboring yard, a strange car parked in the alley, or a moving van at a house where the residents are on vacation, call 911 immediately! The police absolutely do not mind checking out a suspicious activity call. Make an officer's day by letting him catch a bad guy in the act! You, not the passing police officer, know what is normal on your block, what cars and people don't belong. Trust your instincts. If someone or something strikes you as suspicious, there is probably a good reason why, even if you can't put your finger on it. "I've never seen him before, he looks out of place, and he's acting strangely," is plenty of reason to call 911. Let the police determine if the activity is legitimate.

If we believe that we live in a "crime-free" neighborhood, we are taking chances with our safety. Last year in Tucson, there was 1 property crime (burglary, larceny, or motor vehicle theft) for every 13 residents. Fortunately, that is down from the 1989 high of 1 for every 8 residents. Although burglaries in Tucson may be fewer, more in our neighborhood are "non-forced" entries. That means the criminal got in through an unlocked door or window. Please take the time to lock your doors and windows, even when you are inside or outside doing yard work (keep your key with you). Don?’t' make the mistake of thinking that criminals will not bother you in your own home. Recent news stories prove that isn't the case. The most valuable things in your home are you and the ones you love. Don't take chances!

Good News

Graffiti activity is down from last year, and the RWNA VIP group is working to keep it that way. If you see graffiti in our neighborhood, let your street representative or an RWNA officer know, and they can get the VIP out to take care of it. VIP members carry graffiti control kits in their cars so they can quickly eradicate most graffiti.

We live in one of the quietest beats in the Midtown Police Division. One reason that you don't often see officers drive through our neighborhood is that other beats are much worse, and that's where the officers have to spend their time. Even though they're very busy (there were over 7,000 calls for service in October), Captain Mayhew and his officers make time to help the neighborhoods. Those officers are spread pretty thin, and need you to help out by keeping your eyes and ears open and by calling 911 if you see something suspicious