Crime watch discusses crime stats, Red Alert system

The College Cultural Neighborhood Association crime watch Dec. 16 discussed crime statistics and the success of the Red Alert system.

The group discussed its continuing problem with obtaining crime statistics from the Flint Police Department. Craig Wolcott said he filed a request for the statistics two months ago but has yet to receive them.

"The least the police can do is give us these stats. We don't know what we're doing if we don't know where we're at," he said.

"We have a long history of struggling for information," said Mike Herriman.

In 2000, the East Side Weed and Seed program obtained a grant from the U.S. Justice Department fully funding one police officer to handle stats. The grant covered all necessary equipment and wages. The police department overrode the grant, diverting it to pay for overtime for police officers, said Herriman.

The group discussed ways to compile their own statistics.

Matt Schlinker proposed tracking relevant information that comes up on the police scanner and personal accounts and compiling the notes at the meetings.

Mott Officer Kraig Brueck proposed the group try keeping a pin map.

"Even in the electronic age, police departments still use pin maps," he said.

He recommended the group start one in 2011 and track only confirmed instances.

"It's easy to understand and patterns will emerge in a few months," he said.

Robert Gill, Potter Longway Neighborhood Association, said he wanted to see a restructuring of the police department before the mayor puts a millage on the ballot or the Flint City Council develops a plan.

Too many officers are sitting behind desks, he said.

Gill said his group has had a crime watch for 15 years. Gill became involved with the group three years ago after he bought a home and became discouraged by neighborhood crime. The group has swelled to 50 members, including two councilmen, and frequently has guest speakers and sponsors neighborhood cleanups.

Asked by Mike Herriman what he believed had been most effective in deterring crime in his neighborhood, Gill said people watching out for each other is the most effective thing. Also, he cited the success of the blight elimination officers and the value of education — getting residents to leave lights on, for instance.

The popularity of the College Cultural Neighborhood Association's Red Alert system is growing. Initiated by watch member Shane Gramling, the system used by telemarketers sends an automated call to everyone in the system when a crime is reported to it. The neighborhood has doubled its list from 50 numbers to 100.

David Caswell has been talking to other neighborhood groups about the system, including the West Side Crime Watch, South Side Business and Resident Association and Metawanee Neighborhood Association. Interest has been expressed by councilmen Mike Sarginson and Bernard Lawler, Caswell said.

Gramling said he is working on launching a small company offering crime watch systems.

Brueck told the group the Seventh Ward ministation at the old Army Reserve building at Nebraska and Kearsley is not yet functional.

"Furniture has been moved in and phones have been installed, but there are no people," Brueck said. The same is true of the Hurley ministation, he added.

Craig Wolcott said he believed the ministations were still lacking the necessary volunteers.

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