Crime Prevention and the Quality of Life

Crime Prevention and the Quality of Life

The spring season is upon us and many residents are out enjoying the various events and activities that Phoenix has to offer.
This season is a wonderful example of why so many people are here in Phoenix and are still continuing to move here, some estimates say 4,000 people a month. With Phoenix again one of the faster growing cities and communities in the country we get faced with the many challenges that come from expanding.

Choosing a Neighborhood

Your neighborhood and community is an important aspect of your life and your family. You choose a neighborhood based on many things; schools, proximity to work or activities, friends or family, the style of the home, sales price, and also figured somewhere in that equation, safety. The safety of neighborhoods and each and every individual in that community is our responsibility at the Phoenix Police Department. We take great pride in serving and protecting you and working to improve the quality of life in your neighborhood.

In building a better community and improving the quality of life, crime prevention plays an important role. I have written many articles on the various aspects of preventing crime, from burglary, auto theft, identity theft, drug prevention and so on, all in an attempt to help each and every one of you protect yourself and your family as much as possible. We as police officers are your partners in this endeavor, and will be there when you call and also when you don’t call, out patrolling the streets of your neighborhood as you sleep, work or enjoy time with your family. We do need your help and your commitment to improve your community because it is a partnership between the police and citizens; we have the same goal and we can achieve it by working together.

How can we do that is a question I get often. Many of you have started a Block Watch in your area, which is a very good way to learn and practice good crime prevention at your home and get to know your neighbors. Knowing your neighbors is at the top of the list when I teach Block Watch. I am not asking you to know every detail of your neighbors lives but knowing what I call your “primary” neighbors. These are the ones next to you and the three across the street from you and knowing just the minimum amount of information (at least their names and a good way to communicate with them, either phone numbers or email address) will go a long way in preventing some types of neighborhood crime. Knowing what is suspicious activity for your neighborhood. Knowing your children’s friends and their parents in the neighborhood also helps in building a better community, this was a staple of many neighborhoods in the past and it does exist today, but to a lesser degree.

There is a common theme in most crime prevention and that is communication and awareness, communicate with your kids, your neighbors, your kids schools and your police department. If you see something suspicious in your neighborhood, call Crime Stop at 602-262-6151 or for crimes in progress, 911. I am contacted numerous times asking if I am aware of something going on in a neighborhood. With a city of 1.6 million and an area of responsibility for me of 85 square miles and 90,000 people, it is sometimes difficult for me to hear of everything going on but I do keep in contact with all of the communities I serve as much as possible so that I may respond with the needed resources to address whatever issue comes up.

Safer driving habits
Another issue or question that comes up that I am asked to address is the driving habits of residents in their neighborhoods, in particular the speed of vehicles. The speed limits are set by the Streets and Transportation Department of the City of Phoenix and are done in conjunction with the type of roadway it is classified as, such as residential, collector or arterial. These speed limits are set for you and your family’s safety and the safety of other drivers on the road. Poor driving habits can be the result of many things but the disregard for obeying the speed limit usually comes down to inattention, being in a hurry or even the feeling that it’s just a suggestion or guideline and that driver knows how fast they feel comfortable driving.

The law enforcement community in January lost an officer from the Salt River Police Department due to a driver texting and driving on the 101 Freeway. This is not the first fatal accident from a driver texting and driving but just the latest. This tragedy and the others related to texting and driving are completely avoidable. The consequences of those acts have devastating effects on families and cost a police officer his life. Please take the time to drive safely by obeying the traffic laws and by not distracting yourself by texting and driving.

Communication tips
Let’s challenge each other to communicate more effectively with the purpose of improving our community. Let’s try and see how we can learn more about the neighborhoods we live in by watching out for each other and by just looking around when we are out walking or even just driving to and from our homes. Let’s challenge each other by obeying the traffic laws and paying attention to our habits on the road. I am committed to helping each and every one of the neighborhoods I serve to improve their quality of life so if you have any questions or comments, I can be reached at 602-495-5238 or at tim.mitten@phoenix.gov. Thanks again for being involved in your community and partnering with the Phoenix Police Department to help improve the quality of life and safety of your neighborhood.