311 in the news in Allentown July 28, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.Tags: 311, Allentown
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Last week, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced that the Zone 3 station would move from the South Side to 830 Warrington Ave., in Allentown, by Jan. 1.
The mayor credited Ms. Hackel, in part, for getting her neighborhood on the short list of code-enforcement sweeps that he and his public-safety entourage have made in the past two weeks. The neighborhoods are chosen based on the number of 311 calls from residents and what safety inspectors know, said the mayor’s spokeswoman, Joanna Doven.
Read more in today’s Post-Gazette.
Citizens Police Academy announces its next session July 24, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Events.Tags: citizens police academy, police
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Twice a year, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police sponsors an opportunity for members of the community to become closely acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau. The Pittsburgh Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) brings the police and the community close together in a setting that offers a sample of police training to each participant.
The next session of the Citizen’s Police Academy will begin September 8, 2008, at the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, located at 116 S. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206. The program will be held each Monday evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for 15 weeks. This is part of the on-going plan to offer the CPA outside of the Bureau’s training academy facility. Class size is limited to 30 participants.
For more information on the City of Pittsburgh Citizen’s Police Academy, please contact Lieutenant Jennifer Beidle at:
Pittsburgh Police Headquarters
1203 Western Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
(412) 323-7844
jennifer.beidle (at) city.pittsburgh.pa.us
For more details, click here.
Or visit the Bureau of Police’s site directly to download an application and additional information at:
http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/police/html/citizens_police.html
Operation S.O.A.R. Public Safety Awareness Day July 23, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Events.Tags: motor vehicles, police
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On August 9th, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania State Police and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office will be hosting Operation S.O.A.R. (Safe Operations are Your Responsibility) at Lot 1, Heinz Field at the corner of Art Rooney Ave. and W. General Robinson St from 9 AM to 4 PM.
This one day seminar is designed to educate the public with laws that pertain to towed vehicles, commercial vehicles, licensing requirements, weight of vehicles, and more. Newly licensed drivers are encouraged to attend, and the public is encouraged to bring trailers to the event so that officers may provide hands on training on properly outfitting vehicles for safe operational transport.
In the days and weeks following the event, an aggressive enforcement campaign will commence throughout Allegheny County. So, get your vehicle safe today!
311 in the news July 16, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.add a comment
Today in the Post-Gazette…
As building inspectors made a sweep of property conditions in Central and South Oakland yesterday, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and University of Pittsburgh officials reviewed some of the successes of previous sweeps and said the program would soon expand to other neighborhoods. [...]
The city will conduct another sweep next month before the start of the fall semester and, ahead of that, sweeps in other neighborhoods. Calls to the mayor’s 311 non-emergency complaint line have implicated property owners in Allentown, Larimer and California-Kirkbride, all due for sweeps within the next two weeks, [Ravenstahl] said.
Just another example of how documenting problems is a great way to get them fixed. We all know how dilapidated buildings can be a safety risk, an eyesore, and a breeding ground for criminal activity.
Reporting, tracking, and solving non-emergency issues July 11, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.Tags: 311
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Today I learned from my friend Abby of the Great Lakes Urban Exchange of a site called SeeClickFix. It combines mapping with tracking non-emergency issues to create a powerful tool for recording your neighborhood’s problems and sharing them with your neighbors. Basically, you browse the map to locate your neighborhood and click on the locations where there are issues to create tags that others can browse, and it notifies your local government to the issue to work toward a resolution.
In conjunction with using 311, this tool is a great way to keep your neighbors informed of what’s going on in your area. And, as always, use 911 for immediate emergencies.
Keep your family safe in the neighborhood July 10, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.Tags: family, neighborhood, strategies
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Some public safety resources for families:
- National Sex Offender Registry. Find offenders living near your home. Keeping in mind that you are prohibited from using this information to harass or intimidate, it is important to be aware of your surroundings (and your family’s surroundings).
- Tips for neighborhood safety. For adults, from the National Crime Prevention Council.
- Tips for neighborhood safety. For organizations, from the Pew Center’s Solutions for America.
- Stay safe in the neighborhood. A guide for kids featuring Scruff McGruff the Crime Dog. (Scruff, McGruff, Chicago, Illinois, Six-oh-six-five-two… and help take a bite out of crime.)
Building connections July 9, 2008
Posted by besachan in Resources.Tags: hotspot, neighborhood, strategies
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Over the last 2 years, a significant number of neighborhood and place-based websites have sprung up. Many of which serve as information and communication hubs in their respective communities. By going to these sites and selecting a ‘tag’ on the far column such as’public safety’, ‘neighborhood safety’, ‘crime’, ‘police’, etc., we can see all of the posts, opinions, and conversations surrounding public safety of other groups in Pittsburgh - what are the public safety issues that our neighbors are talking about, do they have any hotspots, and even, what strategies are they using to solve them? Two such places are the blog for the 15211 zipcode and also the Pittsburgh Dish.
Some public safety tips from real cases July 7, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.Tags: block watches, city government, crime maps, east end, east liberty, gangs, government, hotspot, MONA, phone tree, strategies
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Last week, I dropped in on the Mellon’s Orchard Neighborhood Association (MONA) in East Liberty to get a first-hand look at what an active, organized block watch does. One strategy they employ is compiling a block map – literally, a map of their entire neighborhood with residents’ names and numbers listed on each building. This helps them to identify and track crime hotspots, and notify neighbors of incidents in their surroundings.
- Need a map showing all the buildings in your neighborhood to get started? Check the City’s website for help. Use the interactive grid to locate your neighborhood; download the lot map once you’ve found it.
Another strategy folks have employed is a phone tree. A phone tree, coordinated by a block captain, is an fast, efficient way to disseminate information throughout the neighborhood. Some folks even do an e-mail tree. Use it to spread news about a crime wave, or to alert neighbors when you’ve called 911.
- For a sample phone tree worksheet, click here. (Substitute an e-mail address for “Address” if it better suits your watch.)
Need some information concerning a particular issue you’re having? The U.S. Conference of Mayors has an excellent collection of real-life cases with information about what neighbors have done to respond to their neighborhoods’ crime. For more information, click below:
Anonymous police tips July 3, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Resources.Tags: 311, 911, anonymous tips
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An issue that came up a lot at our kick-off was the ability to submit anonymous tips to the police. We’re happy to report that the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police actually allows you to fill out an anonymous tip form online if you’d like to talk to the police without naming yourself. If you’d rather print a form and mail it, you can do that too.
(Of course, if you have a situation that poses an immediate danger, you should always dial 911 – and 911 callers can remain anonymous, if they choose to.)
Non-emergency situations should dial 311 from a landline, 412-255-2621 from a cell, or use the online 311 form. I’ve personally had a great deal of success with 311 – every issue I’ve reported (from potholes to improperly secured abandoned buildings) has been addressed promptly, and they’ve even followed up with me.
The City can’t address problems in your neighborhood if it doesn’t know about them. Whichever way you choose to do it, be sure to document all your concerns.
South Oakland Block Watch Events July 3, 2008
Posted by Program Coordinator in Events.Tags: block watches, east end, oakland, south oakland, volunteers
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The South Oakland Block Watch Safety Alliance (SBSA) is recruiting volunteers throughout South Oakland from each block or street to become block watch captains and co-captains. SBSA is also sponsoring a number of community clean-ups. Check the link below to read an e-mail from Holly, the SBSA’s director, with volunteer opportunities through the rest of the summer.
If you would like to volunteer in any of these events or have general questions, email sbsaemail (at) yahoo.com.
