January 2010 Newsletter

REGENCY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2010

Greetings Regency Park Neighborhood Watch Members!! A special thanks to all of you who braved the cold and performed your civic duty on January 5th, by attending our monthly meeting. For all of you "lightweights" who couldn't be there, here's what you missed. : )

Crime Stats: The Escambia County Sheriff's Office responded to 48 calls made by our neighbors during the months of November and December (332 calls in 2009).  Nov. and Dec. callouts ranged from allegations of domestic violence to parking violations. The most serious crimes were robbery and two complaints of people firing guns on neighborhood streets.  See our website for full crime stats.  One member asked if RPNW could obtain addresses of where the more serious crimes were occurring. President Roselyn Johnson said she would ask the ESCO how much information they could release. More on this topic at our February meeting.

Neighbor Scammed: Scammers are knocking on our doors pretending they are honest vendors in need of work. Recently a man and woman scammed one of our neighbors into believing they worked for "Celebrity Driveways and Paving". They said they were Christians who wanted to help elderly people in need. They didn't help our neighbor. They scammed her out of 300 dollars cash. The cops are still looking for them. They were last seen driving a blue truck with a large tank and pump in the back. .

-What can you do to prevent this from happening to you? Always check for a business license issued by the state of Florida, and a worker's permit. Ask for a phone number to their business and call it. Also call the Better Business Bureau and check for complaints. Require that service be completed before payment. Finally, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Watch Your Mailboxes: Recently some "juvenile delinquents" left our park, and decided they would try to take some of our neighborhood with them.  They opened our mailboxes to go through our mail. Roselyn Johnson, RPNW President, noticed this was happening and called the sheriff's department.

-Remember many of the people who visit our park daily are not from our neighborhood. We must closely watch everyone who comes and goes. If you see anything suspicious call the Sheriff’s Office immediately (emergency 911, non-emergency 436-9620).  If we take control of our park, we can reclaim our neighborhood and make it safer for everyone.

Car Burglaries: A woman left her purse in her car, while it was parked on Holgate Road. Unfortunately, a thief noticed and decided to take it. Never leave anything valuable in your car. Again, some of the people walking our streets are not from this neighborhood. Don't give criminals a reason to come back.

Sex Offenders: There are 2 registered sex offenders living near Tradewinds Drive and Spanish Trail. This is very close to a bus stop. Parents.. please warn your children and keep a close eye on other children playing in this area.  Our website, http://regencyparkwatch.com/, has a link where you can view Florida Registered Sex Offender information.

We Put it to a Vote: The Park Department asked RPNW to vote whether or not we wanted to keep a barrier at one entrance of the Park. We voted yes. They also wanted to know what type of barrier we liked. They group voted for split rail fencing.

What do you think?: What if RPNW chose one yard a month, and cleaned it up? I'm talking about trimming hedges, mowing the grass, repairing broken fencing, etc. This would require you to volunteer some of your time, energy, and tools to make a difference. Members would vote on the yard most in need of a little TLC. The recipient doesn't have to be a member, but they must live in our neighborhood. We think this project would encourage more neighbors to get involved with RPNW and we think it would bring our neighborhood closer together. What are your thoughts?

Neighbors for Hire: Are you a painter, welder, handy-man, or babysitter in need of work? RPNW wants to create a place on our website just for you. This section will advertise your skills, abilities, and rates for free. The only catch is you must be a “background-checked” Neighborhood Watch member.  Neighbors can access this site for free(http://regencyparkwatch.com), and call you if they need your services. Neighbors helping neighbors during tough economic times.

Seniors vs Crime: Seniors vs Crime (www.seniorsvscrime.com) gave a brief presentation at our meeting, and explained their primary purpose was to research civil complaints made by local seniors who felt they were victims of fraud (they will also help younger folk). They're located at 97 West Hood Drive, in the 4th precinct. They're open on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Call them at 475-5285 if you need assistance.

Garage Sale Update: The Neighborhood Watch Benefit garage sale will be held on Saturday, April 10th. Lynda Kerouac will be in charge. 477-2482. We need a list of everyone who is planning to participate. Bring your questions to our February meeting. We'll discuss the details there.

Next meeting is Tuesday, February 2^nd.  See you there.

Tessa Webster

Secretary