z Volume 3, Issue 17

April, 2015 Cactus Park Precinct Commander Kevin L. Robinson

phoenix.gov/police

12220 N. 39th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85029; Precinct: 602-495-5009 Desk: 602-534-0419 Fax: 602-495-3660

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Inside this issue:

PNP Neighborhood Radar Safety

Program 2

PNP Pitch to Manzanita Block Watch &

“Covering the Gap” 3

PNP Certification Class 4

PNP Advanced Training &

Neighborhood Alert 5

Conserving Finite Resources 6

Community Partnership Events 7

Community Partnership Events 8

Community Partnership Calendar 9

Caller came home from work and

found his wife missing. The caller

said she just got out of Behavioral

Health yesterday after trying to kill

herself a week ago. The caller

noticed an overnight bag missing

and her cell phone shut off.

He feared she was going to make

another attempt though she did

not make any statements to him

during the day when he last

spoke with her. He checked the

computer history and found nu-

merous hotel sites listed.

Officer Ditwiler #8786 and Of-

ficer Matherly #8731 decided to

check nearby hotel/motels in the

area and found she had checked

in at a local motel. The officers

knocked on her hotel room door

but did not get an answer so

entry was made with a key from

management. She was found

unconscious on the bed with

empty pill containers nearby

along with a plastic bag next to

her.

She was transported to JCL Dun-

lap in critical condition but is

expected to survive. Out-

standing job of investigation by

both officers.

Caring Officers: by Sgt. Natalie Simonick

Partnerships: Communities and the

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol has

long supported the notion that

involved residents are the most

effective crime fighters, reporting

suspicious activity as it occurs.

This program allows residents to

become more actively involved as

partners in crime prevention.

They are the Phoenix Police De-

partment's "Eyes and Ears!"

The Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol

Program began in 1994 as Block

Watchers On Patrol and was as-

sociated with the Block Watch

McGruff logo. In 1995, P.N.P.

members donated over 5,468

hours of their time patrolling their

neighborhoods. By 2004, they

spent over 26,000 hours and

traveled 77,490 miles assisting

the police officers of the City of

Phoenix Police Department by

driving through their neighbor-

hoods and watching for suspi-

cious criminal behavior, fights,

traffic problems, stolen vehicles,

and missing persons.

In 1999, the program adopted

the name of Phoenix Neighbor-

hood Patrol and its new logo. We

have had the opportunity and

privilege of training over 1500

citizens in observation skills,

criminal codes, police proce-

dures, and drug recognition

through non- confrontational

methods.

In 2009 members logged over

53,000 miles and volunteered

over 25,000 hours of their time

to their neighborhood! That is

over $527,000 in value to the

community.

Crime prevention is every citi-

zen's responsibility. Some com-

munities in Phoenix already have

conducted citizen patrols with

success. Providing these patrols

often gives people a stronger

sense of ownership in their

neighborhood, as well as drawing

neighbors together in a common

cause.

The citizen patrols can be con-

ducted on an 'as available' basis

and are by no means mandatory.

The Phoenix Police Department

will provide the training and tools

to volunteers who would like to

Continued on page 2

become more involved in crime

prevention around their neighbor-

hoods.

There are 4 hours of training in

the areas of patrol procedures,

observation skills, the 9-1-1 sys-

tem, reporting techniques, con-

frontation avoidance, safety prac-

tices and Block Watch grants.

Citizens who complete the train-

ing will be provided program iden-

tification cards, authorized to use

identifying automobile door plac-

ards and cellular telephone

equipment to conduct crime pre-

vention activities in their neigh-

borhood and to record and report

suspicious activity.

https://www.phoenix.gov/policesi

te/Pages/policeppd_pnp.aspx

Page 2

Partnerships: continued from page 1

Cactus Park Precinct PNP

members have logged over

2300 hours of patrolling their

neighborhoods and walked

/biked/driven over 3000 miles

in 2014 alone. Some Block

Watches, neighborhood organi-

zations as well as the PNP or-

ganization itself have written

grants to help equip and sup-

port their PNP’ers.

CPP has over 187 functioning

members contributing to the

cause of patrolling their own

neighborhoods reducing the

threat of criminal activity.

The members are called to

assist in special events such

as “Season of Safety”. This is

where the patrollers are grant-

ed permission to patrol shop-

ping malls and various parking

lots during the peak of holiday

shopping.

Another event is the “Sunny

Slope Art Walk” and the “First

Fridays” events where the

parking and foot traffic causes

an additional element and

members often aid in parking

and watching the hundreds if

not thousands of shoppers

and visitors.

Commander Robinson recently

met with the Cactus Park Pre-

cinct members and offered to

get some special training in the

way of touring the communica-

tion facility and actually listen

in on 9-1-1 calls and hear the

dispatcher dispatch calls to the

on duty police officers.

A radar

class was

put on to

train mem-

bers in the

use and

operation

of a radar

gun. On a

monthly

basis the

PNP Coor-

dinator from Cactus Park Precinct.

Officer Epperson, in Partnership

with the CPCA (Cactus Park Commu-

nity Alliance) conducts “advanced

training” and calls on various spe-

cial guests that discuss numerous

issues that speak on a myriad of

topics related to crime reduction.

PNP Members Monitor Neighborhood Traffic: “Neighborhood Radar Safety Program”

In early April 2000 the Phoenix

Neighborhood Patrol Radar Safe-

ty Program was approved for

implementation by then Com-

mander Kevin Robinson (of the

Maryvale Precinct). This program

was developed to help reduce

vehicular speeding and accidents

in residential neighborhoods.

The concept of this program is to

have trained Phoenix Neighbor-

hood Patrol (PNP) members use a

radar gun on residential streets

and document speeding viola-

tors. After the information is doc-

umented on logs, the license

plates numbers and vehicle de-

scriptions are returned to the

precinct by the patrol members. The

plates are then run through the

PACE system by Police Officers or

C.O.P.S. volunteers, to get the regis-

tered owners information and make

sure the vehicle description match-

es the license plate.

A letter is then sent to the owner

asking them to slow down in their

neighborhoods. Our hope was that

speeders would slow down, safety

for all would increase, and acci-

dents would decrease. In Maryvale

Precinct, as of September 28,

2000, over 700 speeding violators

have been logged by PNP members,

and were turned in to the precinct

coordinator.

The Cactus Park

Phoenix neighbor-

hood patrol grant

authorized and pur-

chase radar guns

and asked if a radar

certification class

could be put on and

certify a number of

enthusiastic mem-

bers. Radar class

certification Officer

Tammy Hort taught

and certified 23

members and quali-

fied them to partici-

pate in the program.

Officer Hort instructs on the technique

needed to get an accurate reading.

23 PNP members in radar certification class prepare

to “go shoot radar”.

Officer Hort instructs our “speeder” as the class pre-

pares to “capture” the speed in a SAFE and non-

interrupting manor.

Commander Robinson calls a special briefing with PNP

Members, armed with their radar guns practice in a

real live situation outside the precinct.

Page 3

As a PNP Member, you are a

multiplier...a repetition of our

Phoenix PD patrol officers!

Your local knowledge, observa-

tion skills and situational

awareness increases the inten-

sity, depth and volume of our

Phoenix police patrolling force!

Phoenix officers continually

patrol our neighborhoods, but

problems, and crime can hap-

pen even seconds after a pa-

trol officer drives through your

neighborhood. We help to cov-

er that gap! Think about it,

more of us on our streets

watching and reporting, and

being the eyes and ears of our

patrol officers is what

Covering the Gap by Jerry Cline (PNP member)

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol

is about. Observe, back off (do

not get involved) and call!

The more eyes and ears we

have who know how and when

to call 911, the stronger we

are as a neighborhood. lt is not

rocket science. PNP members

are able to communicate what

they observe as abnormal.

Build on that... be alert, ob-

serve your surroundings, be

aware of what you see, what

you've seen and the differ-

ences that you recognize from

the last time you were in that

part of your patrol.

This gives you a mental image,

a comparison, what you begin

to realize as 'normal' and what

has changed? Look around as

you patrol, it is for your per-

sonal safety and the safety of

your community, now and in

the future. When passing a

street, alley, driveway, etc,

look there - just be aware.

Crime Stop: 602-262-6151.

Jerry Cline is a long time PNP member, advocate and spokes person

for the program and a civilian coordinator. Jerry has implemented and

maintains the civilian data base of current members as a source of

connecting members and publishes PNP pertinent information via e-

mail, including monthly training and “Coffee with a Cop across the

valley. Jerry.cline@phoenix.gov

Block Watch Gets PNP Pitch

Officer Epperson gives the “PNP plug” to the

members of Manzanita Block Watch during one

of their meetings. There were two newly certified

PNP members added to their group from the re-

cent certification class.

Manzanita Block Watch writes a grant

every year to purchase materials to help

in crime reduction. Some of which is a

number of printed brochures to inform

the residents about the various pro-

grams that they can participate in. One

such program is the PNP program. They

also make invitations for CAO’s and the

PNP coordinator, Officer Epperson to

speak to them at one of their meetings.

Page 4

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol Certification Training

Last year it was decided to reduce the training /certification to 4 hours from 8 and then augment the

rest of the training during the year with “advanced training”. Approximately 6 times a year (roughly every

other month) a class is put on by the PNP Coordinators from each precinct. It is held at the most central-

ly located precinct (Mountain View Precinct) in the community room. Among the 4 hours of training there

are topics such as of patrol procedures, observation skills,

the 9-1-1 system, reporting techniques, confrontation

avoidance, safety practices and Block Watch grants.

Citizens who complete the training will be provided pro-

gram identification cards, authorized to

use the city approved identifying auto-

mobile door placards and cellular tele-

phone equipment to conduct crime pre-

vention activities in their neighborhood

and to record and report suspicious

activity.

Block Watch does not promote interven-

tion. Participants will exchange ideas

involving crime prevention with patrol

officers in their area.

If you need more information or would

like to register for an upcoming training

event, please contact the Programs

Coordinator at your local police pre-

cinct.

Don't know your precinct? We can help

you!

Qualifications:

Reside in the City of Phoenix

Be at least 18 years of age

Possess a valid driver license or Arizona

identification card

Complete mandatory Phoenix Neighbor-

hood Patrol training

Disqualifying conditions:

Felony convictions within the past 60

months (from time of application)

Any pending criminal charges

Conviction for child molestation

Registered as a sex offender

Adjudicated by the courts to be mentally

incompetent

Currently there are approximately 187

residents inside the boundaries of the

Cactus Park Precinct in the PNP pro-

gram and the goal is to recruit folks in

every neighborhood and get residents

evolved using their “EYES N EARS”.

Training Calendar for 2015

Where would we be without the goodies, and re-

freshments purchased in part by grants and fur-

nished by the Block Watch Advisory Board.

City wide PNP Coordinator, Detective Brian

Kornegay enters data into the ID machine. Each

“Graduate” is given an ID card.

Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board members

and PNP volunteers help with registration.

Community Programs Coordinator, Officer

Doreena Wiegert goes over “differences between

PNP Members and Police Officers”.

Community Programs Coordinator, Officer Tammy

Hort, instructs the class on issues facing them as

PNP’ers.

Reserve Detective Hort runs background checks.

Page 5

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol Advanced Training

Phoenix Neighborhood Program Coordina-

tor for Cactus Park Precinct, officer Bran-

don Epperson conducts “advanced train-

ing” for the members four times a year

and topics include “ Suspicious Vehicle /

Person”, “Anatomy of a Crash”, “A Matter

of Perspective”, Station Tour

“Transparency”, “Traffic Stop” (code 6),

and in this case R.E.A.C.T. (a direction to

steer toward). Officer Epperson has been

in the position for four years and would

like to double the PNP members in the

Precinct.

The Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol Program in

partnership with the Cactus Park Precinct

distributes various PNP support materials

including PNP vehicle identification vehicle

signs, and can provide PNP neighborhood

pole signs. There are various support

measures that are also provided including

brochures and published materials to help

promote and recruit other members to the

PNP program. Here Robin Mofford, Chairper-

son for the CPCA and board member for the

PNP grant distributes a vehicle sticker to

Stan Bates a PNP member and patroller.

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol Precinct

Civilian Representative, Rachael Stern

gives an update of the events coming up

that are PNP related at the monthly CPCA

and PNP meeting.

Neighborhood Alert

Recently our neighborhoods

have been experiencing a

somewhat unique brand of

criminals. Seems this trio (two

females and male) are all

“related” and operate sepa-

rately with the same

“technique”. They attempt to

gain entry into the inside of

the home or garage, without

breaking-in.

Numerous calls have de-

scribed very similar scenarios.

Either a knock at the door or

walk up and engage the resi-

dent outside, asking some-

what legitimate questions.

They may include “may I have

a drink of water”, or “use the

phone”, “can you give me

directions”? A few incidents

where this group was reported

to PD included walking into an

open occupied garage and re-

fusing to leave.

The “team” takes small but

valuable items or cash, some-

thing they can place on them

and not draw too much atten-

tion. They have been known to

park a minivan and walk

through the neighborhood us-

ing the van as a “home base”.

An ongoing investigation from a

recent arrest revealed they

check for open or unlocked

doors and will go house to

house checking. They will go

into the back yard and have

been known to jump fences to

avoid attention or police.

Also the investigation has locat-

ed a few houses in and around

Cactus Park Precinct that seem

to offer refuge or be involved,

needless to say these homes

are being watched as part of

any neighborhood burglary

investigation.

Lessons learned from this: Call

police in any suspicious looking

event as you normally would,

use 9-1-1 since this could be

an actual burglary in progress,

and heighten your level of

awareness. Most of all, gone is

the need for people to walk

through neighborhoods re-

questing to use phones, bath-

rooms, or water. In these situations

assistance can be rendered (if legiti-

mate) from our EMS (Emergency

Medical System) or Police Depart-

ment. In almost every case if the

resident informs the individual that

a call is being made to police the

individual leaves (a clear indication

assistance was not really needed).

Should you be outside and notice

someone walk into the garage,

yours or anyone else’s, call police

and watch from a position of safety.

One note of comfort, none of the

known related incidents of these

folks was anyone assaulted or no-

ticed a weapon; however, this is not

to say they are not armed and cau-

tion is always appropriate.

Page 6

Conserving Finite Resources:

Electricity

Conserving Finite Resources: Water

1 Solar modules

Each panel contains photovoltaic

cells which convert sunlight into

direct current (DC) electricity.

2 lnverter

The DC electricity from the pan-

els is sent to an inverter, where

it is converted into the standard

alternating current (AC) electrici-

ty used in your home.

3 Electrical panel

AC electricity travels from the

inverter to the electrical panel

(also called a breaker), where it

is distributed for use throughout

your home.

4 Utility meter

The meter continually measures

your electric supply. When your

solar power system produces

more energy than you need, non-

digital meters literally spin back-

ward, accumulating credits with

the utility company that will offset

your nighttime usage.

5 Utility grid

You're still connected to the utility

grid. This ensures that you can

always draw power whenever

your family is using more electrici-

ty than your solar system is pro-

ducing, such as at night.

6 Monitoring system

Our exclusive monitoring system

automatically tracks your solar

power system to ensure optimal

performance. You can check

your system's production any

time through web sites or with

smartphone apps.

www.solarbydrew.com

For all the information you would want to know about your city’s water and waste

system...

Go to web site: http://phoenix.gov/waterservices/

When you need to backwash your pool filter or drain the pool, try to use the wa-

ter to irrigate landscaping. Do not drain water into the street, alleyway or other

City of Phoenix right-of-ways.

http://phoenix.gov/waterservices/customerservices/issues/pool/index.html

If you have or see a water emergency, such as a broken water main, fire hydrant,

or water service line (between a water meter and the street), or you see water

gushing from the middle of a street, please call 602-261-8000, 24-hours a day.

Storm water runoff is our most common cause of water pollution and it's caused by the daily activities of each of us. Phoenix maintains

storm drains, outfalls and manholes, as well as works with businesses and homeowners. The city urges you to help prevent spreading

storm water pollutants by recycling or properly disposing of household products that contain chemicals such as pesticides, paint,

insecticides, fertilizers, solvents and motor oil. Also, absorb liquid spills with an absorbent material such as kitty litter, sweep up spilled

chemicals rather than washing them into the street, pick up after your pet and drain your pool properly.

For more information, visit phoenix.gov/water

Page 7

April 2, 2015

“Document Preparation before Assisted

Living” presented by Lora Johnson, Alz-

heimer’s Association, Arizona Chapter

FREE Blood Pressure Checks by CareMore Ins.

FREE BMI Testing by CareMore Ins.

“I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a

source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil

and coal run out before we tackle that.”

Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

1) The UNA online magazine, www.UNAphx.org,

United Neighbors Association

2) Cactus Park West Neighborhood Association’s

Newsletter: March

3) Sunburst Farms HOA Newsletter

Area Online Newsletters and Links:

Send in your links to your community newsletters and get them placed

on this list:

April’s CPCA monthly meeting is

back at:

Helen Drake Senior Center

April 22nd;

Time: 6:30 pm

“A Reasonable Expectation of

Privacy”

Cactus Park Precinct Website: http://phoenix.gov/police/precincts/cactuspark

Page 8

Contact Phoenix Block watch Advisory Board

Phoenix Block

Watch Advisory

Board

In Partnership with the Phoenix Police department

Hosted By:

Maryvale/Estrella Precincts

Date: April 28th

Time: 6:30-8:30 pm

Location: Maryvale Community

Center@ 4420 N. 51st Ave.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 1 2

April Partnership Events

Apr. 1st; Coffee with a Cop

Los Altos Ranch Market;

3415 West Glendale Ave.

8:00 am

Apr. 22nd; CPCA/PNP Briefing

Helen Drake Senior Center.

6700 N 27th Ave.

6:30 – 8:00 pm

Apr. 28th; Block Watch Adv.

Bd. Monthly meeting; Maryvale

Community Center; 6:30 pm

4420 N. 51st Ave.

May. 6th; Coffee with a Cop

Ronnie’s Café; 8:00 am

4323 W Cactus Rd

April Cactus Park Precinct Phoenix

Neighborhood Patrol

PNP Briefing:

No April PNP Briefing at

Cactus Park Precinct

May

For questions, comments or

suggestions pertaining to this

newsletter contact: brandon.epperson@phoenix.gov

Phoenix (Cactus Park) Neighborhood Patrol

Keep sendin’ in those logs!

Page 9