Woodlawn Park Patrols

The Woodlawn Park police force is a line item in the budget for each year. The shifts are designed to be irregular to allow for the most coverage possible with the dollars allotted. The shifts are often in the evenings and late in the night.

Per city ordinance, it is the duty of the Woodlawn Park Police to enforce all laws and regulations of the City of Woodlawn Park, KY, the Commonwealth of KY and the United Stated of America. Also, per state of Kentucky requirements, police personnel must maintain their Peace Officer Profession certification. We are in compliance with this requirement. Our police force can issue Woodlawn Park citations, issue state citations and make arrests. I echo Mike?’s reply that our residents are to call 911 in the case of an emergency. If our police are on patrol, we do respond to the radio call in addition to Metro Louisville police. I also invite everyone to the council meetings where you can hear the police report first hand.

Woodlawn Park benefits from this coverage, allowing enforcement of the ordinances that our residents desire to improve the quality of life in our city, while also deterring crime by providing police presence in our city.



By Tim Robetson (Mayor)

Response to WP Police

When I posted this message it was not to imply that our police chief was incompetent. This was in no way a personal jab to him.
I knew that they called LMPD when there was a problem, I also am not dumb enough to think that we had a detective agency in our little city, or that we ever would. I was referring to the LMPD. It would be nice to have follow-up information about the crimes.
I have been speaking to other neighbors and there does seem to be a lot of crime. And by ''crime'', I mean anything from having your bike stolen, to having someone crawl through your window while you are sleeping. From my understanding that is what happened the other night. That is a big deal. And I would like to know about it ASAP not three weeks from now.
I would like to point out that like you I also feel fortunate to live were we have a ''police chief patrolling'' but that is why I decided to move here, and pay an extra city tax.
I think that a blockwatch news letter is a wonderful idea and I would be happy to contibute any way I can. I don't just want my family safe, I want my neighbors families safe.

Communicate ''Small Crime''

Okay- perhaps when a small crime takes place a resident could call their blockwatch captain and the captain could forward the informaiton on to the chair of block watch captains increasing communication between block watch and the residents. I would definitely encourage you to attend the block watch meeting in June or write a proposal to Doug Watson, block watch chair and Councilperson to possible suggest a way for people to report smaler crimes. Adidtionally, I am not a professional in this area at all but I do know there are tips to reduce crime. For example, if you are cutting your grass in your backyard- you really should not leave your garage open- I had always done that for years until I heard about people walking into garage and taking things. Now I keep the garage shut if I'm in the backyard. Leaving your doors locked will reduce your risk of walk-in crimes, leaving your bike out front increasing your risk (bikes should be put away to reduce risk), windows should be shut and locked when you leave to reduce your risk- these are just a few, there are many more. I ams ure Doug Watson has a list of risk reducing items we can all do. Oh, another one I just thought of- house porch lights should be left on at night to reduce risk- hanks for your concern- I really do hope that you wil contact or attend the block watch meeting in June.

Empower yourselves

Here is my suggestion to empower the citizens, or the police chief, block watch captain, or mayor. MetroSafe holds records for all calls made to the Louisville Metro Police Department. It would be beneficial if once a week, the city of Woodlawn Park (or a resident) made an open records request for all runs received in Woodlawn Park to be printed and sent to the Mayor/Police Chief/Block Watch Captains, and maybe posted online here.

Anyone can request an open record from LMPD. Names may be blacked out, details may be removed, but the address and nature of the incident, as well as what time it happened can and should be included.
What is an open records request?

Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 61.870 and the Open Records Act (ORA) define a public record as:


...all books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, recordings or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics, which are prepared, owned, used, in the possession of or retained by a public agency.


Citizens may request an inspection of the cabinet's records for any reason. Unless the material is exempt from disclosure under KRS 61.878, the cabinet as a rule must respond to a request within three working days after the request is received. (Please note that according to the Office of the Attorney General, the purpose of the ORA is not to provide information, but to provide access to public records, OAG 89-81, OAG 90-19.)


What is the procedure for inspecting public records?

To make an open records request, you must submit a written request to the records custodian of each division (MetroSafe) from which you desire records. A written request is either a completed open records request form, or a letter stating specifically which records are desired for review. This request may either be faxed or mailed to the division's records custodian (Susan Murray)574-7479 Or MetroSafe 768 Barret Avenue, Louisville KY 40204 - ATTN Susan Murray. A records custodian generally needs the following information:

(1) the name of the facility, and
(2) the city (or county) in which the facility is located.

Specifying the records or information desired affords the records custodians direct knowledge of which files to provide, and establishes the scope of the required response.

So to be more specific, someone would fill out a form (which is available online) requesting all calls for service made within Woodlawn Park, KY -occuring in Division 5-Beat 5. Dates and times must be included. If there is confusion on this, tell Ms. Murray (records custodian) that the CAD (she will know what this means) has a search filter that will let you search by City, Woodlawn Park is in the system as such, and she can retrieve all calls for service that way.
You can find the KY Open Records request form by google.com on the above topics.

That's my 2 cents worth and I'm sticking to it. I would share information with the citizens myself about what happens in our city but I am not authorized to do so and can lose my job if I am too specific. (MetroSafe Dispatcher)