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At CAPS Meeting there was lots to discuss
a bit of a crime wave hits Dearborn Park
08/18/2010 11:12 AM
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Dearborn Park residents gather in Cottontail Park at the gazebo (photo by Bonnie McGrath)
The rumors were abounding the last few weeks about burglars being caught red-handed in the homes of Dearborn Park residents, and everyone was warning everyone to keep their guard up and their doors locked. Last night, the local CAPS meeting (beat 132) with the cops was held in Cottontail Park on 15th Street, just west of State and a couple of blocks from the actual First District police station, where it's usually held. Tons of residents crowded under the gazebo (especially when the drizzle started) to listen to neighborhood mavens, neighborhood victims and the police.
It's true. There have been some unfortunate burglaries. And police are on the case. But they did say that if residents of Dearborn Park south of Roosevelt wanted to hire security (off duty cops who drive around the streets like they have north of Roosevelt), they would welcome the help. There were some questions about police "triage"--what is it that gets the police out fast? Calls from security guards or panic buttons or something else that gets them to respond right away? Some people are upset that when they call they don't get immediate attention. Yet the main advice was to call, call, call--whenever anything suspicious presents itself. And if you call when you see something happening to a neighbor's property, maybe the neighbor will call when something is going wrong with yours. Crime karma.
There was talk of people leaving their cars unlocked on the street with their garage door openers laying out for easy pickings. And subsequent tragedy. Some people asked if anything could be done about homeless people hanging out in the park, not necessarily breaking the law but making them "feel uncomfortable." One guy was in the children's sandbox "washing his feet"--and it turns out that can be something that could get him tossed from the park by law enforcement.