Steve Burns
Community Awareness Committee Chair
Desert Ridge Community Association
It’s estimated that more than 5 million crimes go unreported in the United States every year. Unfortunately, it seems that trend is also occurring right here in Desert Ridge. Many victimized residents will post stories about property crimes such as vandalism or attempted break-ins of cars and homes on Facebook, or the Next Door app. Some of those people will also email or call into the Desert Ridge Community Association office to complain.
At a recent Community Awareness Committee meeting, several of the committee members relayed stories of neighbors and fellow residents who had experienced problems. Community Action Officer Centenius Billingslea, who was in attendance, was surprised to hear of some of the incidents that had occurred but were not reported to the Phoenix Police Department. This began a conversation on how and when to contact the police. Officer Billingslea made clear to us that first and foremost, whether something already occurred, or if you just see something out of the ordinary, you need to report it to the police.
There are several numbers and methods to contact the police depending on the situation or circumstance. Here are some suggested guidelines:
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911 – When there is a crime in progress or even when suspicious activity is going on. When you describe the situation to the operator, they will determine where (if anywhere else) the call needs to be routed.
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Crime Stop – Non-Emergency crime reporting or reporting after a crime has taken place. (602) 262-6151. You may also visit www.phoenix.gov and click on the “Report It” tab. The first selection should be ”Citizen’s Online Police Reporting System”. Click on the link and follow the instructions.
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Silent Witness – When you have information regarding a felony or serious crime. You may even earn a reward if the information leads to an arrest or indictment. (480) 948-6377
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Graffiti Hotline – If you have information on a possible graffiti suspect. (602) 262-7327
All of the above methods have one thing in common; you can use any of those services anonymously. In fact, if you want to be contacted for a follow-up you can request that it’s done by phone rather than have the squad car pull up in front of your house.
Having covered the when and how to contact the police, let’s look at why it is important to do so. This includes reporting even after an attempted break-in or other incident has occurred. According to a survey of people who were victims of property crimes, many only found it necessary to file a claim with their insurance company and stated they felt that the crime wasn’t important enough to bother filing a police report. Where it’s true that the police typically have higher priority calls, it’s still very important to report everything from suspicious vehicles on your street to someone knocking on your door and asking for someone who doesn’t live in your home.
The main reason why reporting everything is important is that those reports help to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the Desert Ridge Phoenix Police Off-Duty Program. Through this program the Desert Ridge Community Association pays the city of Phoenix to have off-duty, uniformed Phoenix police officers patrol Desert Ridge in marked police vehicles. Reporting all activity helps the off-duty patrols know which areas of the community need more attention.
Another very important reason to file a report is that multiple misdemeanors perpetrated by an individual, or group of individuals, can become a felony when damages reach a certain level. With that latter reason, a victim not reporting even one of the misdemeanors can prevent the perpetrator(s) from being punished to the full extent of the law. If we all do our part by keeping our eyes open and reporting to the police, we can help them to make Desert Ridge a better place to live.
As I always state in closing, Phoenix police officers do a fantastic job but they can’t be everywhere all the time. That is why it is so important to know and communicate with your neighbors and to keep looking for things that are out of place in your neighborhood. You can help make Desert Ridge a safer and better place to live by starting or participating in a neighborhood block watch program.
If you’re interested in learning how to start a neighborhood block watch program, please contact the Desert Ridge Community Association office at 480-551-4553.
