Uptown Charlotte Neighborhood Watch Program

First Ward Break-in (follow up)

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:06:00 +0000

CMPD Officers arrested two men who are suspected of involvement in the earlier break-in. This was thanks to a very good description provided by an alert neighbor. Well done!

First Ward Break-in

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:50:00 +0000

This morning one of our neighbor's home was broken into. The 2 African-American males driving a Blue Camry broke in right after the home owner left for work. The two men were spotted by a neighbor who acted quickly and called the cops. The Two men were in and out of the home within 5-7 minutes. The cops believe that these two men have been casing the home. PLEASE keep your eyes open! If you see a non-regular car- check it out, call the cops. Also the cops had a difficult time contacting the owner because no-one had a phone number. I have phone numbers have many of you (And email addresses) HOWEVER, please stop by your neighbor and give a business card or exchange emails. It is important that we have emergency contact information so we can contact you immediately. We will keep you updated and please share this information with a neighbor!

Friends of Fourth Ward Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:52:00 +0000

Safety Alert

The following vehicle was stolen on Jan 12th (20100112-0801-03) and has been suspected of being used in multiple residential B&E's in the Hickory Grove and North Divisions. The vehicle was originally stolen in the University City Division, so it is reasonable to believe that they are active in the Independence and University City Divisions as well. We've had three B&E's today that we believe are linked to this vehicle and suspects. Please be on the lookout for this stolen vehicle which may be a source for B&E's in your area.

2006 4door Toyota Camry (boxy style)
Burgundy in color
NC Reg. YRZ-7022
Very dirty (as if 4 wheeling in the vehicle)
Last seen occupied by two black males

If you have any information on this or any other safety issue, please alert police by calling 911.

Safety Report

Theft of property from autos continue to be 4W's biggest crime problem, but the easiest one to prevent! Very simply, stow all of your valuables (including loose change) in a secure spot AND lock your car doors. IF THEY CAN'T SEE IT, THEY CAN'T STEAL IT.

The practicality of installing surveillance cameras in Fourth Ward Park was studied and it was determined that it would not be an effective use of FOFW funds. While the cameras would have cost us about $15,000, the impact would have been minimal due to the "L" shape of the park, tree canopy and over-all low violent crime rate in that locale. Instead, we are looking at using those funds towards enhancing street lights in dimly lit areas.

FOFW has been proactively & aggressively advocating safety issues in the Mecklenburg criminal justice system. In serious cases, we have written letters to the District Attorney's Office asking for cases to be prosecuted vigorously and then monitored these case as they progress through the court system. Board members are often present in the courtroom and address the judge about the community impact of certain cases, and we believe that this has resulted in tougher penalties for targeted offenders.

FOFW website: http://www.fofw.org

Safety Alert - Third Ward

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:36:00 +0000

CMPD has sent notice that the neighborhood has had five residential break-ins so far this month. Homes were entered via a window being smashed or pried open. Large TVs and computer equipment were taken.

Possible suspect: Mark Summers; past aliases include Arthur Summers, Michael Summers, Mark Santiago, Mark West, and Anthony Hatton. Click here for photo.

Please call 911 immediately if you see this suspect or anything suspicious.

John Schwaller
President
Third Ward Neighborhood Association
third-ward.org

Safety Alert - Fourth Ward

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000

There have been 16 home break-ins in recent weeks, which is a substantial spike. There is no pattern to these crimes in terms of time of day or specific location in Fourth Ward. Various items have been stolen, such as credit cards, purses, wallets and TVs.

NEIGHBORS ARE ASKED TO CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY IF ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED!

Be On The Lookout - BOLO

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:55:00 +0000

Mark Summers (black male DOB 1/5/1967) has 3 active Orders for Arrest. If you see him in Fourth Ward, call 911 immediately.

Click here to see arrest record.

Learning About CMPD Through the Community Education Series

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:18:00 +0000

Interested in learning more about the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department? Now you can. CMPD will be offering free informational sessions to provide you an opportunity to learn more about CMPD, its policies, practices and personnel.

The Community Education Series’ first session will be held Tuesday, October 13 at 6 p.m. at the Police & Fire Training Academy (1770 Shopton Road) and focus on the history of CMPD, the department mission and patrol districts.

Register today by contacting Officer Tom Allen at tallen1@cmpd.org or 704-432-0432. You can also register at http://ww.charmeck.org/cm/police/request/request2.html.

Be Careful and Be Smart

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:50:00 +0000

We recently receive a copy of this email to residents of an Uptown condo complex.

1 - Do not leave anything of value in your car, particularly do not leave anything valuable visible in your car. A car window was smashed and gps stolen in our parking lot recently, and this happens often on the streets near by.

2 - Shred all personal documents before throwing them in the condo trash cans. People are definitely going through our trash, whether they are looking for food or credit card numbers or both I do not know.

I spoke with one of the community officers and his advice is to be smart and don't leave anything of value in your vehicle. And certainly don't leave it in plain site. He also emphasized the importance of shredding all bills and personal documents prior to putting these in the trash. It may sound simple but following this advice can keep you from being a victim of crime.

Fourth Ward Parking

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:47:00 +0000

Parking Signage Changed - New Rules Apply
As you know, we approved new on-street parking rules in February, reviewed with FOFW at our annual meeting and forwarded our recommendations to CDOT. The city has been working on implementing these new parking guidelines including designing signage, installing signage and preparing to enforce the new rules. Signs went up on 07/18/09. The grace period of enfrocement has ended and as of 08/10/09 the new rules are being enforced. Please review and become familiar with the new rules described below:

New Parking Rules:
Residential parking permits are required for cars parked in the designated parking zone during the following times:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Thursday - Saturday 8pm - 8am

Anyone can park on the street for a two hour period at any time without a parking permit.

Anyone who lives in an eligible address to obtain a sticker can purchase a guest pass for anyone visiting their residence. To determine if your address is eligible contact Park It! Guest passes are available from Park It! for a fee of $3/day/guest.

Park It!: 1440 South Tryon Street, Suite 108, Charlotte, N.C. 28203, 704-375-3177.

FOFW newsletter

Fourth Ward Parking

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:07:00 +0000

New Parking Rules: Residential parking permits are required for cars parked in the designated parking zone during the following times:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Thursday - Saturday 8pm - 8am

Anyone can park on the street for a two hour period at any time without a parking permit.

Anyone who lives in an eligible address to obtain a sticker can purchase a guest pass for anyone visiting their residence. To determine if your address is eligible contact Park It! Guest passes are available from Park It! for a fee of $3/day/guest.

Park It!: 1440 South Tryon Street, Suite 108, Charlotte, N.C. 28203, 704-375-3177.

Fourth Ward Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:24:00 +0000

Recently, we had a high volume of reports concerning larceny from autos. In one of the response areas it was reported that during the day sometime during the weekend witnesses stated they had observed subjects looking into vehicles, and then on some of the vehicles they would place a business card and others they did not. Later during the evening hours subjects were observed riding through the parking lots driving a U-Haul truck. The vehicles with business cards on them became victims of larceny from their vehicles. Please be aware of unknown subjects in and around apartment complexes placing fliers on vehicles, especially if they place something on one vehicle, but skip others only to place the fliers randomly. It also would be wise for residential communities to be aware of this also. If someone observes anything or one that appears to be suspicious, call 911 immediately. Please do not wait for someone to become a victim.

It pays to be alert and call 911: Chris Tabb is a young man who assaulted multiple women in Fourth Ward. He was convicted of a felony and got lifetime GPS after being found to be a Violent Sexual Predator. He cut off his GPS ankle bracelet upon release from the jail and a Warrant was issued. Chris Tabb arrested 6/3/09 after CMPD received a call from a FW resident who recognized him and took action by calling us. CMPD's Dave Moorefield wanted the community to know the Central Division is "very grateful for the teamwork and partnership we have with the FW residents. It is that display of teamwork that helped take this menace off the streets once again. We can only hope he will be kept behind bars this time."

Friends of Fourth Ward Newsletter

Town Hall Meeting - Stimulus Funding

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:21:00 +0000

Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess, Charlotte City Council At-Large representative, will host a town hall meeting to discuss with citizens how federal stimulus funding will provide more officers and resources for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Citizens can learn about volunteer opportunities to help better protect their homes and neighborhoods with three top local crime concerns, based on a recent citizens' survey. Thursday, June 25, 2009, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Char-Meck Government Center, 600 East 4th St, Room 267.

Larceny From Auto

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Below is a letter from CMPD University Division. We have not seen this in Uptown (yet) but please be vigilant and call the police if you observe this activity.

Greetings,

Over the weekend we had a high volume of reports concerning larceny from autos. In one of the response areas it was reported that during the day sometime during the weekend witnesses stated they had observed subjects looking into vehicles, and then on some of the vehicles they would place a business card and others they did not. Later during the evening hours subjects were observed riding through the parking lots driving a U-Haul truck.

The vehicles with business cards on them became victims of larceny from their vehicles.

Please be aware of unknown subjects in and around apartment complexes placing fliers on vehicles, especially if they place something on one vehicle, but skip others only to place the fliers randomly. It also would be wise for residential communities to be aware of this also. If someone observes anything or one that appears to be suspicious, call 911 immediately. Please do not wait for someone to become a victim.

Thank you in advance for your time. Stay safe and have a great week!

Fourth Ward Burglaries

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Hello everyone, we recently experienced 4 Burglaries on N. Smith St. All of these occurred on Thursday, May 14th and occurred or were reported between 9:00pm- 12:15am.

The only suspect information we have at this time is a Silver SUV occupied by at least one black male with a bald head. The vehicle make is unknown at this time.

Please pass this information along to your neighbors and assist us in monitoring the traffic along N. Smith St. and in that area for the Silver SUV. If you have any further suspect information, please call the Central Division office at 704-336-5727 or if you see the suspect vehicle, please dial 911 immediately.

Thank you for your continued help,

Dave

Sgt. Dave Moorefield
Central Division
Response Area 1 Commander
704-336-5727

Hero Bowl on May 30th

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:28:00 +0000

We're up to 222 members, you've gotta love facebook! We appreciate everyone who has joined and please invite anyone who you think would consider supporting the Cobras.

We went 3-1 this season and just keep getting better every week. This has been our breakthrough season and we look to build on our success and make this an organization that proudly represents this region in the National Public Safety Football League. We appreciate all of you who took time to attend the games this season and support our cause. We are in contention for a bid to the Division II National Championship Game in just our third season!

On Saturday, May 30th we are hosting the Washington DC Generals. The game will be played at Hopewell High School at 7pm. This game will be our annual Hero Bowl. Our Hero Bowl is a game that we designate to support a local hero in need. This year we will be donating all of our proceeds to CMPD Officer Mark Lester. His wife Anna was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and has begun a very aggresive treatment of chemotherapy. We encourage everyone to come out to the game and support the Cobras in honor of Mark and Anna. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

Proceeds from the game, including ticket sales and concessions, will be donated to Mark and Anna. I encourage all of you who live in the Charlotte region to come to the game. We need your support!

Charlotte Cobras
JD Furr

Food Lion Speed Street to Close Uptown Streets

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Sat, 16 May 2009 22:51:00 +0000

As part of the Speed Street festivities, some uptown streets will be closed from Wednesday, May 20 – Sunday, May 24 (early morning.) Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes around the uptown area. Those wishing to attend the event or needing to commute to the center city are strongly advised to ride the LYNX Blue Line Light Rail.

Download Event Map. Closure details are as follows:

- Motorists should allow for additional commute time
- During weekday work hours, uptown workers should arrive early and leave early if possible
- Commuters should utilize the I-277 loop/exit closest to their location
- Commuters can access parking lots regularly before 9:00 a.m.
- Streets closed during festival hours:
- Tryon Street between Third Street and Eighth Street
- Trade, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Streets between College and Church Streets
- Eighth Street between College and Brevard Streets
- College Street between Fifth and Ninth Streets
- Streets crossing uptown in the east/west direction with the exception of Trade and Eighth Streets will reopen for morning rush from the hours of 6:00-9:30 a.m.
- College Street motorists will be diverted at Fifth Street

Click here for information about LYNX Blue Line schedules, pick-up locations and stops.

For detailed event information, please visit www.600festival.com.

Charlotte Center City Partners

Charlotte Neighborhood Symposium

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:14:00 +0000

As a reminder, the deadline to register for this year’s Neighborhood Symposium is Friday, May 8th. To register, click here or call 704-336-2061.

Theme: From Policy to Practice: Improving Our Homes, Our Communities, Our City
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2009
Time: 7:45am-3:00pm
Location: Charlotte Convention Center at 501 South College Street
Cost: FREE (pre-registration is required)

Highlights:
* Adult and youth workshops
* Exhibits
* Town hall forum
* Community building activities
* 2009 Neighborhood Awards presentation

Join us and learn how you can continue to improve and maintain the quality of life in your neighborhood! To learn more about the Symposium, visit http://neighborhoods.charmeck.org and click on the Neighborhood Symposium link.

If you have already registered, thank you, and we’ll see you on the 16th!

Jean Love
City of Charlotte
Neighborhood & Business Services
600 East Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
(o) 704-336-4161 / (f) 704-336-3959

First Ward Arrest

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:59:00 +0000

On 4/22/2009 MR. CARLOS LAMARK OSBORNE B/M DOB 10/1/1970 was arrested for B&E to 306 W.10th St. He was caught due to a vigilant neighbor and lightning fast response by our Officers….

Mr. Osborne has at least three Burglary arrests since 2006

Officer Simpson

Ninth Street Break-ins

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:51:00 +0000

In the past few weeks there have been several attempted break-ins on 9th Street. These occurred in the evening. Also; a TV was stolen from a condo on the same street. The occupants were home at the time but were unaware that the door was left unlocked. I have spoken with the folks at the Central District Office and they are working a few leads. PLEASE remember to lock your doors, even when you are home, and don't leave valuables visible in your vehicles. We are entering a time of year when crimes of opportunity raise...PLEASE BE VIGILANT!

Everyone needs to be made aware of a recent rash of break-ins on 9th St. Within the past month or so one unit has been broken into, one has had a TV stolen, and another had break-in attempts on two consecutive nights. No arrests have been made, however, the police have been notified.

Please make sure to keep all back porch lights on at all times. Any suspicious persons/activity in the neighborhood should be reported to 911 immediately.

Typically we encounter incidents of vandalism during the warmer months of the year (out-of-school teenagers, primarily), and crime in general seems to spike as the days get longer. Please be mindful of what you keep on your porches, keep an eye out for your neighbor and, again, report any suspicious activity to the police.

Caldwells HOA

Larceny From Auto

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Below is a letter from the University Response Area. I checked with Sgt. Moorefield, our Response Area Commander, and our numbers for the last thirty days were down a few percentage points. However this is the time of year when these crimes historically increase. Please take positive steps to safeguard any items you have in your vehicle.

Hello everyone,

As mentioned in my newsletter, this week is Spring Break week for Charlotte Mecklenburg schools. In reviewing the reports for the past week we are seeing a noticeable increase in LFA’s (Larcenies From Auto) in our RA and across the division. In almost every case a GPS unit was taken from the vehicle. I can not stress highly enough the importance of locking up your GPS units or removing them completely from your vehicle when you are not in it.

Also, please remember to take the mount for the GPS unit out of your window! Leaving it in place is like sending up a flare and saying “My GPS device is in my glovebox! Break my window and see!” Both myself and my officers are trying our best to keep the reductions in crime we have seen going but we can only do part of the work. Without the public’s cooperation, especially in the area of LFA’s, we will not be successful in the long run.

If you leave valuables in plain sight in your cars the criminals will, eventually, take them! That is a simple fact of life so I’m asking everyone to please help us, and yourselves, and remove your valuables from your vehicles. As always, please don't hesitate to call 911 if you see anything suspicious...we want to hear from you!

Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Sergeant Jim Morrison

Response Area Commander

Charlotte Cobras

noreply@blogger.com (Bob Szy...) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:33:00 +0000

Philadelphia vs. Charlotte

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Come check out the Cobras this Saturday as we host Philadelphia in our first game of the 2009 Season. For those of you in the Charlotte area, weather.com says sunny and 70. Tickets are $5 and all proceeds go to charity. This is a great opportunity to get your football fix in the spring and support your local public safety personnel. Thank you.

Hopewell High School, 11530 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville NC 28078.

1pm Kickoff

The Charlotte Cobras are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a member of the National Public Safety Football League.

The National Public Safety Football League is a union of public safety agency/ football teams from throughout the United States, united to promote a positive self-image to the public by raising funds for charity through spirited competition. The NPSFL teams play full-contact football. They follow NCAA rules. Each team plays a four game league schedule every spring season. The Cobra Football team is comprised of Police Officers, Firefighters, and Sheriff Deputy’s from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Dept, Charlotte Fire Dept, The Mecklenburg County Sheriff Office, Concord Police Dept, Huntersville Police Dept and other public safety personal in the Charlotte Metro area.

Cobras' Mission

"We play for a charitable cause: Cobra Kids. Cobra Kids help kids in high risk environments make sound choices and not fall into a criminal lifestyle. This is our main charity but we are not limited to just this cause. Any worthy children charities would be considered in order to promote the safety and welfare of the kids."

First Ward Shooting

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:31:00 +0000

A resident of First Ward was arrested after allegedly shooting her daughter. Click here for the WSOC TV version of the story which was covered by most of the local outlets. The crime happened on N. Alexander Street and we are awaiting details from CMPD. This appears to be a domestic violence issue.

Mother Charged In Shooting Of Daughter At Uptown Home

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An uptown Charlotte woman is accused of shooting her 19-year-old daughter in the chest early Wednesday.

The shooting happened in the First Ward, near the intersection of Eighth and Alexander streets, at about 5 a.m.

Operation Medicine Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:06:00 +0000

The CMPD is joining hands with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the NC State Bureau of Investigation for Operation Medicine Drop, which will take place this Saturday, March 28, 2009, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., at seven Harris Teeter locations within Mecklenburg County. The purpose of the event is to provide members of the community a drop off location for any unused or outdated prescription medicine that they wish to discard.

With the misuse of prescription drugs second only to marijuana as the Nation's most prevalent drug problem, the annual average number of people using pain relievers non-medically for the first time exceeds the number of new marijuana users, according to a recent study released by SAMHSA. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

More than 2.2 million youth in the United States aged 12 to 17 used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in the past year to self-treat physical or mental distress, improve appearance or performance, catch an energy wave, or simply mellow out.

70% of teens who abuse prescription drugs admit to easily obtaining the drugs for free, primarily from friends and relatives

The prescription drugs most abused by teens are "opioid" pain relievers such as Darvon, Dilaudid, OxyContin, Vicodin, and products containing codeine or morphine

Teen abuse of prescription drugs also includes sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall, which are known for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Every day, 2,500 kids age 12 to 17 abuse a prescription painkiller for the first time.

Drug treatment admissions for prescription painkillers increased more than 300 percent from 1995 to 2005.

Listed below are the sponsoring Harris-Teeter Stores:

Southpark - 6701 Morrison Blvd.

Stonecrest - 7852 Rea Road

Steelcroft Shopping Center - 13000 South Tryon Street

Arboretum - 3333 Pineville-Matthews Road

Park Road Shopping Center - 4101 Park Road

Old Towne Mall - 4100 Carmel Road

Cochran Commons - 2720 W. Mallard Creek Church Road

Chief Rodney Monroe - Crime Stats

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:30:00 +0000

A while back some concerned citizens questioned the City's declining crime stats. The implication was that CMPD was using dubious techniques to classify crimes. In essence pressure was applied to classify a crime in the most favorable light. Today, as part of Sunshine Week, the Charlotte Observer published and interview with Chief Rodney Monroe and one of the issues addressed is crime statistics. The CMPD follows FBI guidelines for reporting statistics. I have spoken with various members of the Department and yes there is pressure, pressure to bring crime down as well as pressure to ensure crime is reported properly. Click here for the complete interview.

Q: Falling crime statistics reported by police have prompted some residents to ask if your department might be classifying, counting or reporting crime differently than it used to. You have said you follow FBI reporting guidelines and that you haven't instructed officers to change their reporting methods. What factors do you believe explain the markedly declining figures? Are you willing to open the department's records and statistics-compilation methods for audit by reporters and/or criminologists?

Interestingly, resident requests regarding our classification methodology have been few and have most often been preceded by “I read or saw on the news.” We do follow FBI guidelines in our reporting of crime. I have not instructed anyone to alter their reporting methods and have, in fact, reinforced to supervisors the need for proper review and accountability. Crime is, in fact, down. Not only are reports of major crimes down significantly, but calls for service, for those same crimes, are also down.

I believe several factors have contributed to our markedly declining figures. We are a more locally focused police department. Our 39 response area commanders can recognize trends and deploy resources more rapidly and more specifically. We have and continue to deploy more resources to the local commanders. We are a much more visible police department. We are working better with our communities in the identification and prioritization of problems. The department's crime records are already public. Our compilation methods are a straightforward reflection of those records. The state and FBI currently have the ability and mechanism to audit any reporting entity.

Be on the Lookout - BOLO

noreply@blogger.com (Safety28202) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:45:00 +0000

Rodney Jones has been arrested 25 times and he is a suspect in a recent break-in at an Uptown apartment. If you've seen him, call the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team at 704-336-8228.