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Police starting foot patrol in select area
02/25/2015 11:37 AM by John M
In our area the assigned foot beat will cover the criminal hotbed from 23rd Street to 29th Street, between Franklin Street and Marshall Streets:
Beginning today, the RPD will utilize visibility patrol tactics by dedicating and deploying two officers from each police precinct to walk foot beats in specific neighborhoods.
Officers will also work with other governmental agencies to address blight and public nuisance concerns.
These officers will be tasked with:
- Gaining intimate knowledge of their assigned area;
- Getting to know the residents of their assigned community;
- Engaging youth;
- Identifying those persons involved in criminal activity;
- Addressing the concerns of the community;
- Attending community meetings;
- Conducting business checks; and,
- Responding to calls for service within their area.
TAGGED: crime
Would love to see the patrols include Union Hill – esp. around 700 block of N. 22nd where there have been multiple shed break-ins over the past few months, as well as car break-ins a year or so ago.
My brother was a “beat cop” for many years and have said on this site more than once that we need Feet On The Street! A personal presence will surely have a bigger impact than someone going past at 30mph in a car. Being out in all kinds of weather will be a big sacrifice but I thank them for doing it.
Well, it’s a start. Maybe we can lobby for an expanded area after they get this started….might be nice to have the two in this area, then add two more in Union Hill and two more in the P through V Streets area Emily mentioned.
my house has been hit twice, I have done everything right alarm,lights ect… I think patrols in Union Hill should be picked up as well!!! On foot alley patrol would be nice!
Maybe the police department is waiting to announce that Union Hill and Church Hill North (the areas that need the most help) will be patrolled by mounted police, rather than a foot patrol. That’d be way cooler. And in keeping with our avant-garde meets Old School neighborhood spirit.
This is needed in north Church Hill. I’m 2 blocks from the 1st Precinct police station and have never seen a cop walking anywhere except to/from their police cars at shift change. There have been 5 shootings with two fatalities with 500 yards of my home in the last 6 years. I’ve emailed the mayor’s office a few times suggesting that RPD start walking a beat. Never a response. I didn’t realize 23rd to 29th between Franklin & Marshall were in such turmoil. How does the 10 block area surrounding the 1st Precinct police station become a ‘selected’ area?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the majority of crime typically happen North of Marshall? Didn’t the gunfire this past weekend happen north of Marshall? Haven’t most of the B&Es in the past few years happened north of Marshall? Is there a valid reason to why the street beat is focused south of Marshall? Beyond the fact that area is a high income demographic, of course.
#12, I hear ya- they’re not coming to my area either. But as crd #6 says, it’s a start.
I would also love to see mounted police up here. Do they really patrol any part of the city? Or do they just use the horses for crowd control?
I agree, seeing mounted police would be better than seeing a police officer on foot and what an easy way to engage conversation with people/youth in the hood. HOWEVER, North Church hill needs this way more than Franklin and Marshall.
For those of you commenting about mounted police, I live in the Chimborazo area and frequently see the empty horse trailer parked along M St on my way home for lunch. I always glance around to see if I can catch sight of them, and have seen them on the blocks around 28th & M many times. I love seeing them out and about, though they did leave a big pile of poop in the street near my house the other day :-P.
@ 13: We live on the 2400 block of Clay Street and my husband saw mounted police roll down our street maybe 2 months ago. All joking aside, regular mounted police patrols would be wonderful in Church Hill North/Union Hill.
I saw evidence of mounted police at George Mason while walking the dog at lunch. I’ve seen them quite a few times over the past few weeks in the area (28th & M). Glad they’re increasing patrols.
If only we could get the residents/visitors to stop at stop signs. That would be a MAJOR accomplishment.
This is a PRIME example of protecting the rich people part of the neighborhood. It’s so obvious it makes me sick. Centered right around the core of the CHA!
16. Don’t call it “poop” — in my vocabulary, it’s first-rate fertilizer.
As someone who lives in this patrol area, I’m glad to see it. And not everyone is rich in this area–if so, I’d like to know where I go to collect because I have been overlooked in the riches department.
Jokes aside, A few sheds and a truck were broken into within a block of 24th and Marshall. I’ve seen a few guys walking along, looking into cars (and I’ve reported it.) Having presence may help encourage a larger effort overall.
Also please yes omg horsies!!
Awesome! What hours will they be working? Also, I just drove past Chimborazo Elementary on Marshall. There are a ton of police and a couple of guys in cuffs. Anyone know what that is about?
This is a much appreciated start, but I agree the area is geared suspiciously given where many of the documented recent cases have happened. Please consider going north of Marshall as well.
I guess the police only want to be more involved in and answer to the more “white” areas of Church Hill. I hope they know how this looks.
I wonder how long the patrols will last?
@22. There’s a house on that block where suspected perps of many incidents in the neighborhood live. Hopefully tthe police, and the drug dog, finally got them.
Great job RPD!!!!
@25. Through May 31st
it seems like they are only working the St Johns church area. My understanding is that taxes in those areas are higher because property value is higher. Higher taxes equal a more robust police presence. The key is to bring more businesses and revitalization into the area.
Seriously. “Criminal hotbed?” Have they looked at the crime (specifically daytime burglary) reports for ALL of this area? Because I’m pretty sure it’s everything north of the designated walking area, including Union Hilll. You know, where folks have yards and subsequently storage spots IN those yards that are being pilfered in broad daylight again and again. But that’s just facts, not money talking, so.. Here’s to hoping.
Nothing pi$$es me off more than a misuse of my tax dollars in my own back yard. We all know that the blocks mentioned for patrol are an inappropriate choice which focuses on properties of a higher demographic. RPD knows where the crime is! CHA knows where the crime is! Stop fooling yourselves. Restructure the blocks for foot patrol and make a difference. At 27… great job RPD? Absolutely not. It would be a great job if they had chosen to move the parimeter into the hill about 5 or 6 blocks if not more.
Yay for RPD! This is great and I am sure this program will expand to include more areas as it gets off of the ground!
Criminal hotbed?? Isn’t that the safest part of Church Hill? So now the wealthier folks have hired security as well. I would love to hear how these areas were chosen!
Can they patrol behind Chimborazoo Elementary School (the 30th & Clay corner)… on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (4pm-11pm)?
Maybe they can finally catch the package thieves. I second those who are saying this probably isn’t the most high crime / high priority area to watch but it’s great for those of us living within the radius.
Ferguson
Silly
The negative comments here, even before the foot patrols begin, are amazing. From what I’ve read, you guys seem to think that there should be basically no police presence from Marshall St. south to the river, and concentrate all patrols on Union Hill and points north of Marshall. Other than one person who *seemed* to agree with me that it’s a first step and could maybe be expanded, the rest of you folks seem to think it’s not worth it or will end within a couple of months.
I mean, come on people. I used to know my neighborhood cops – particularly Mongo and John Henry Taylor. This gives us a chance to get to know other cops – but you guys want to throw it all out without even giving it a chance! Sorry, I’m not having a lot of patience tonight (and I usually do).
Folks…get real here… I don’t think RPD ever characterized South of Marshall and 23rd to 29th as a “Criminal hotbed”. These, I suspect, were John’s tongue in cheek words as he introduced the topic. If y’all would take the time to actually READ what the mission of the program is all about, I’m certain the logical mind would agree that it’s a solid program. The scope states that this will take place through May 31st and then the findings will be evaluated to develop a future action plan. Worry not, Union Hill and the hoods north of Marshall will likely see some love.
@crd – you nailed it! The program has not even started and people are complaining which seems to be status quo on this blog at times. C’mon people – give them a chance and see where the program goes!
@41 Thanks Liz.
I’m glad they’re doing it, and it’s a great idea.
However, cops on bikes (bicycles) can cover so much more area, so much faster, and roll up on people almost silently, if necessary. If they’re on foot, I foresee a lot of running in their future.
I think the point of walking instead of biking is it’s easier to interact with every member of the public they encounter. You can’t easily say hi to every person when riding a bike, much less have a conversation. They will get to know people of the hood a lot better by walking.
I trust that the RPD 1st Precinct is trying to do a good thing here. I think this is an essential ‘tactic’ that is not being implemented strategically. Very few of the objectives mentioned above will be realized while wandering around Libby Hill. Moving the target area further north and east would put some punch in this plan and give RPD the opportunity to meet all of the plan objectives. I hope that Lt. Sayles and Capt. Russell will review their proposed target area and realize that they need to make some adjustments in order to maximize the resources of the 1st Precinct’s limited personnel.
Looking forward to seeing how this program develops!
I hope that this is not used (as it has been in the past) to punish an officer for some preceived infraction. John Taylor was punished because he was “too close to the community” and the then cheif of police fostered a them vs us mentality.
Officer Taylor gave advice and direction to me in the early days of the Church Hill Crime Watch and of course later to Ms. Long. He was punished for this. The leadership mentality has changed drastically since then, however, it bears watching.
Is there a way to make a proper request wit RPD for coverage North of Marshall?
http://www.richmond.com/article_35f91b96-c7d0-5a21-ab59-ed93f23e3c1f.html
@48 From this article, sounds like one should contact the new police chief. But it also sounds like this is just part of a push for community policing.
As a former home-owner on 27th & M, I would say that — gunshots aside — I felt safer up there than I do currently on 25th & Franklin. Why? At least two different incidents within the past year of not only muggings but also assault. Up north yes, break-ins were an issue and understandably frustrating, but a little further down the hill, it’s personal safety on the streets that seems to be the issue. I agree that the neighborhood as a whole can use the added presence of officers, but to insist that there is nothing to police at this end of the precinct is to be ill-informed. Glad it’s starting somewhere.
#48 – As a business owner, I think that you are the perfect person to request such attention from RPD. I’ve heard from a reliable source that neither Lt. Sayles nor Capt. Russell read CHPN, so you would need to contact them directly. As a property owner and CH citizen, my best avenue would be to bring it up at a community meeting.