April 2011 Newsletter

NEW PRESIDENT – Roselyn Johnson was voted in as President of RPNW

• Roselyn's phone number is 375-8838 and e-mail is

• We thank former President Mart Hearn for his service.

MEETING CHANGE – We will meet the FIRST MONDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:00 PM

• Location will be Regency Park at 8245 Fathom Rd weather permitting
• An e-mail will be sent out if there is a change due to weather.

EVERYONE WELCOME! Please join us at the meetings. We need everyone's participation to be successful.

PURPOSE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH – To help prevent crime by actively watching out for our neighbors and to call the Sheriff's Office when suspicious activity is seen or when a crime takes place.

MAY 2ND MEETING – Will be a planning meeting for how, together, we can succeed at crime prevention in our neighborhood.

WEBSITE – Efforts are being made to update the website and actively use it again. Stay posted for further updates.

NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES

• Speed bumps are being painted
• We need speed limit signs in our neighborhood
• Speeding and very loud music from cars remains a problem
• The Bark Park has two benches thanks to RPNW Member Mark Drummond
• The School Bus Patrol has been successfully implemented though needs more volunteers
• Closing the park nightly has helped reduce late night traffic to/from the park.

SPRING GARAGE SALE? - Last Spring our neighborhood wide garage sale was successful. Is there interest in doing it again this year?

I look forward to seeing all of our members and neighbors at the May 2^nd meeting!

Thank you,

Roselyn Johnson, President

October Newsletter

Dear Members of our Neighborhood Watch,

I would like to take this time to let you know how our Regency Park Neighborhood Watch is working out. It is astonishing to see all you wonderful people in our Neighborhood Watch come together for a single cause. That cause is to take back this great community of ours.

I have driven all through our beautiful community and talked with many of you. I have heard the pride you take in having a community to raise your children and retire in peace and dignity

I believed that the people today have no thought or feelings about their next door neighbor or what becomes of your community. I was wrong, dead wrong.

The people I have talked to want to stand up and make this a great place to live. They are united in their dreams and are willing to fight to keep their dreams alive.

I have taken office in no more than one month now and I have seen what this community can do to keep it safe and stand together united. Our friends are looking out and taking charge. One family noticed teenagers breaking into an empty home across the street and got right on the phone and called the Sheriff Department which came and arrested one of the teens.

Another called the Sheriff’s office on a car that is parked where cars never park normally. Three officers in their cars responded and found that the car was empty but contained illegal drugs.

This is what we need to do. If we can stand firm and tall, the word will get out that this is a community to avoid.

I must emphasis that no single person should investigate a problem in our community. We have the best trained people to investigate situations like this. It is our proud and wonderful young people that work in law enforcement at the Sheriffs Office.

I have seen them in action and we should be very proud of them. They do a great job with very little community appreciation. Give them a wave when they go by and just let them know they are welcomed here.

Regretfully some very undesirables have moved into our community. There are three Sex Offenders that live right in our watch area. I would love to see if we can limit how many can live here. This is something I would like to investigate and give you a report on.

I am hoping we can start a child watch patrol at or near where our children get on and off the school bus. We can have our vehicles dutifully marked and manned only by those that have Approved Back Ground Checks made by our Sheriffs office.

Please take the time to make it to our next Neighborhood Watch meeting.

It will be held Tuesday October 5th at Grace Lutheran Church - 6601 9th Ave. It sits right across from the Fire House on 9th Ave. The building sits right in the back with the 2 Red Doors.

PLEASE BE CARFUL OF THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE CHURCH. PLEASE ENTER BY USING THE ENTRANCE ON JOHN CARROLL DR. It is right next to the Church.

Respectfully Yours,

Regency Park Neighborhood Watch President
Mart Hearn

Newsletter July 2010

REGENCY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH NEWSLETTER

Greetings Neighbors! It’s almost time to pass the torch. Officer elections are Tuesday, August 3^rd, during our next monthly meeting. You will decide who the next President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer will be. We need members to volunteer for these jobs, so we can continue building RPNW. Here’s a quick breakdown of each position.

President: The president keeps tabs on all neighborhood crime, and gathers monthly crime reports from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. If a crime occurs in our neighborhood, it is the president’s responsibility to get the word out via email, or by phoning block captains. President also presides over monthly meetings, as well as the “occasional” officer meeting. Most officer-related business can be handled over the phone.

Vice-president: VP makes sure someone opens and closes the gate to the park each day. He/She also maintains close contact with the Block Captains and their Supervisors, so patrols continue happening. In the event the president can not perform his/her duties, the VP steps in.

Secretary: The Secretary’s primary responsibility is the monthly newsletter. It is his/her job to keep neighbors informed about what happens in the neighborhood and during neighborhood watch meetings. The challenge with this position is keeping the newsletter short, informative, and interesting. The secretary also takes notes for the president at all meetings.

Treasurer: The Treasurer is in charge of the money. He/She is responsible for deposits, withdraws, and notifying members of any changes to the account. The Treasurer also organizes fundraisers.

Food For Thought: Each job can be as easy, or as difficult as you make it. We all have families, responsibilities, and lives outside of neighborhood watch. This group is extra-curricular, but it is making a difference for all of us. Please consider doing your part to make RPNW even stronger, by volunteering some of your time.

It’s been a pleasure getting to know all of you, but it’s time for me to pass the pen to someone else. I’ll see you August 3^rd!

Tessa Webster/ Secretary

June 2010 Newsletter

REGENCY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH NEWSLETTER: In case you missed our last Neighborhood Watch Meeting June 1, 2010, here are some of the highlights.

Crime Analysis 17 reported incidences in and around our neighborhood! Less than last month…that’s a good thing. See details on the Crime Analysis report soon to be posted. This report will have times, dates and locations of the incidences. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open and keep these numbers low!

*Note, as I mentioned above, some of the areas are not in our neighborhood watch area. It’s important to also know what is going on around our neighborhood as well and identify what can spill over into our neighborhood….i.e. “Old Spanish Trail”.

Patrol efforts paying off Members recently observed occurrences in our neighborhood that needed immediate attention and took action by calling the Sheriff’s Office and reporting it to the proper authorities. Members were able to get a good description of the person[s] vehicle and car tag to help identify the suspect. Members were able to accomplish this in a safe manner without putting themselves in danger. Law enforcement and animal control now have something to work with! GOOD JOB! This is the kind of action that will deter and prevent future problems in our park and neighborhood.

Patrol Captain[s]: Volunteers Needed!

Robert Lawson (476-1226/

Assistant Ron Hamile (

Please contact Robert Lawson and let him know your availability, when you’re patrolling and where so we can put together an organized plan for patrols. This is voluntary only but very necessary for deterring crime in our neighborhood. I challenge all of us to get involved and make a difference!

Treasurer’s Report: Tamara Hurst/ After purchasing seven (7) sign post for our Neighborhood Watch Signs and paying Billy Newlin a portion of his original purchase of the signs, the balance in our account to date is $326.00 (Big thanks to Billy). Future purchases include amber lights for vehicle patrols at night and magnetic signs with our “Regency Park” logo on the doors of the car.

Fundraisers Tamara is working on some ideas with Sonic, CiCi’s and Domino’s for support on some of our fundraisers. Waiting on a response from corporate and keeping our fingers crossed.

“CAR WASH” got the vote at the meeting for our next fundraiser. The date and location is being worked out and the details will be forthcoming soon. Suggestions welcome…

Also, a “Fall Festival” suggested by Mark, for the cooler months, where our other fundraiser ideas and events can take place at once, where the whole neighborhood can come and enjoy the festivities. (October/November)

Robert suggested selling “Krispy Kreme” donuts and coffee during the fall as well.

Mr. Apple, the chef at “Apples Market”, who lives in our neighborhood, has graciously offered at no cost to us, hot dogs and buns etc., for our Fall Festival at the park….Thanks for taking the initiative and speaking to Mr. Apple Nancy!…

General info If you are exiting your home or look out your window and see marked police cars speeding by or setting up in a specific area you may want to call the non emergency phone number to the Sheriff’s Office ECSO/436-9630 and see if it is safe to leave your home at that time. Be polite, tell the operator your name and address and ask them is it safe to go out of the house. They will advise you if it is safe or not. If of course, it is an emergency call 911.

No Sales Taxes Roselyn and Frank confirm no issues with our fundraisers regarding taxes! Good to hear.

Picnic at the Park: Reminder, Saturday, June 19^th, we invite all neighbors to pack their picnic baskets, bring a blanket, and head to the park. This is your chance to have some fun and get to know what RPNW is all about.  Starts at 3 pm… hope to see you there!

Chris Webster

RPNW President

May 2010 Newsletter

REGENCY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH NEWSLETTER: In case you missed our last Neighborhood Watch Meeting (May 11^th), here are some of the highlights.

Community Involvement: We need “YOU” to keep our neighborhood safe by contacting your block captain and picking a patrol route. You can patrol in your vehicle, or on foot. You pick the time and street! If you see anything suspicious, call the Sheriff’s Office.

***The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is responding to every call we make, and they appreciate our efforts. We can make our neighborhood safe again, but we need you. Get involved!! ECSO/436-9630

Patrol Captains: Because we are putting more emphasis on patrols, the group elected two “patrol captains”. Congratulations Ron Hamile () and Robert Lawson (476-1226/

Treasurer’s Report: 20 households participated in our RPNW garage sale. Each donated 10% of their earnings, bringing our grand total to $161. Because of our modest success, RPNW decided the “Spring Garage Sale” would become an annual tradition.

Now we need ideas for the Fall fundraiser. Here are some ideas talked about at the meeting? What do you think?

1. Bake Sale: no explanation needed.
2. Carwash: no explanation needed.
3. Pumpkin Patch: We display and sell pumpkins sometime before Halloween
4. Raffle Lotto: We sell tickets to members and neighbors for 1 or 2 bucks. We draw a name and the winner keeps half the pot!
5. Seedling Sale: Neighbors donate plants from their garden (transplants you don’t want), or tiny seedlings that are just starting to sprout and we sale them for a profit. We can advertise in the paper and host the event at our park.
6. Fall Festival: We could combine several of the items mentioned above (raffle lotto, seedling sale, bake sale, pumpkin patch) and incorporate some other events (cake walk, face painting, and bobbing for apples). The event could be our Regency Park Fall festival.

Bring your suggestions to the meeting and come prepared to vote!

Picnic at the Park: On Saturday, June 19^th, we invite all neighbors to pack their picnic baskets, bring a blanket, and head to the park. This is your chance to have some fun and get to know what RPNW is all about.  Starts at 3 pm… hope to see you there!

Tessa Webster

RPNW Secretary

April 2010 Newsletter

Greetings neighbors!

On Tuesday, April 6^th, Regency Park Neighborhood Watch Group began a new chapter in its evolution, electing Chris Webster as President.

Meet the President: Webster is currently an FDLE agent (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) who specializes in narcotics investigations and gang activity. He’s a perfect fit for this job, considering the drug problems we’re experiencing in our park. Webster will detail what drugs are prevalent in this area on Tuesday, May 4^th, for our 1^st meeting in the park this season.

His Focus This Term: Crime Prevention and organized patrol efforts. Other goals include growing membership, and increasing visibility (which brings me to the next topic).

Picnic in the Park: Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Florida sun. How do you feel about holding “Picnic in the Park” once a month? This would be a time for members to bring blankets, picnic baskets, and loved ones to the park for some socializing with neighbors. It would also be a great time to recruit new members. We need to be visible in our community and show people that RPNW is growing stronger. What do you think? Visit our website at regencyparkwatch.com and send Chris an email.

Fundraiser: Our 1^st fundraiser was a success! 100’s of people shopped our garage sales and spent a lot of money. RPNW will receive 10% of their profit. We’ll let you know how we did and get your suggestions for Fundraiser #2 at our next meeting.

Crime Stats: There were 32 calls to sheriff’s office from our neighborhood: 3 home burglaries, 1 vehicle theft, and 3 suspicious persons reported in our area.

At the next meeting we’ll talk about ways to make your home less appealing to criminals. See you there…

Tessa Webster

Secretary

Mid-February 2010 Newsletter

Regency Park Neighborhood Watch, Inc.

Mid-Month Newsletter

February 2010

March 2^nd Meeting (6:30 pm)

-         The ECSO will give a presentation on gangs in Pensacola.

-         Commissioner Robinson will also attend.

• PLEASE – Commissioner Robinson would like to know ahead of time if we have specific issues to discuss with him so that he can arrive prepared with information to give us.  Please e-mail me at

Website

-         Reports of suspicious/criminal activity thus far in February are posted on the website.

• The reports include an attempted home break-in.

-         Also posted on the website:

• Escambia County Park Use Ordinance
• Escambia County Noise Ordinance

-         January crime stats are posted on the website.

Regency Park

-         If you notice people in the park during the time it is closed please call the Sheriff’s Office at 436-9620 and request a deputy enforce the County ordinance closing the park.

-         By County ordinance the park is closed from sunset to sunrise.

Sign Language Interpreter

-         Once again we will have a sign language interpreter at our March meeting.

Yard Spruce-up Committee

-         Will meet 15 minutes prior to the regular March 2^nd meeting (6:15 pm).

-         Please contact John C if you want to participate and have not yet contacted him.

Benefit Garage Sale

-         We need to know if you plan to participate!

-         If you don’t have a lot of items join forces with other members on your street.

-         The latest membership list by street is on the website.

-         Let Lynda K know if you plan to participate so that we can advertise appropriately.

T-shirts

-     Two size large t-shirts at $13.60 each are available for members to purchase.

Thank you and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at the March 2^nd meeting!

Roselyn Johnson, President RPNW

February 2010 Newsletter

Regency Park Neighborhood Watch

February 2010 Newsletter

RPNW March 2^nd Meeting

-         The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will speak about gangs in Pensacola.

-         I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Monthly Yard Spruce-up

-         There will be an organizing and coordinating meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9^th at 6:30 pm.  Location is Grace Community Church community building.

Website

-         The front page of the website is updated as reports come in from members.

-         Keep up to date on what is happening in our Watch area by checking the website at http://regencyparkwatch.com/

Crime Stat Summary for our Watch area

-         19 calls to the ECSO were placed in our Watch area in January.

-         One vehicle was stolen, one vehicle was broken into.

-         Eight suspicious activity/vehicle/person calls were made.

Member Mart Hearn spoke about neighborhood teenagers

-         Teens are an important source of information of problems in the neighborhood.

-         Involve kids in the Neighborhood Watch and look out for the neighborhood kids.

Neighborhood Watch Street Signs

-         The signs are in and we are waiting for the County to put them up.

-         Thank you to all who donated their hard earned money to make this possible.

Regency Park Improvements Update

-         The playground has been improved; new fencing will be installed in February.

-         The additional solar lights for the parking lot will arrive by Spring.

-         Everyone is requested to actively keep an eye on the park.

-         Let’s keep the improvements in great shape for everyone to use and enjoy!

Community Emergency Response Team Training

-         Four Neighborhood Watch members are currently taking the training.

-         A CERT class for folks with disabilities is being planned.

Citizen’s Law Enforcement Academy

-         Three Neighborhood Watch members are taking this course starting March 11^th.

What YOU Can Do!

-         Look outside for suspicious activity.

-         Walk or drive part of the Neighborhood Watch area regularly.

-         Be aware of what/who is normal on your street and be alert for activity that seems out of place.

-         Show that the Neighborhood Watch is active and alert by wearing your t-shirt.

-         Attend the monthly meetings and check the website regularly.

-         Recruit your neighbor to join RPNW.

-         Be willing to call the ECSO’s non-emergency number, 436-9620, to report suspicious activity.

-         Without YOU the Neighborhood Watch is less effective.  Take an active part in keeping our neighborhood a great and safe place to live.

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

December 2009 Newsletter

Regency Park Neighborhood Watch

Newsletter

December 2009

Happy Holidays! In case you missed our December meeting, here’s a breakdown.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK!: Some neighbors will be patrolling the streets with our new Neighborhood Watch magnetic car signs, and our new amber lights. You could be one of them, no enforcement is involved – just be an extra pair of eyes for the Sheriff’s Office. We need volunteers for night patrols. Call Roselyn Johnson, President, if you’re interested.

PARK UPDATE: Neighbors who live near the park report a significant decrease in after-hours illegal activity. This means closing the parking lot at night was a good idea. We need to find more creative ways to hurt criminal activity.

Having said that… we need volunteers to open and close the park on a rotating basis. It’s easy! All you have to do is pull the chain across the entrance. Contact Lee Kerouac, VP, if you can help.

WE’RE GOING GREEN: The Parks Department will be upgrading the area around the playground and installing 2 new solar lights in the parking lot. That’s coming soon!

T-SHIRTS AND DOGGIE BANDANNAS: It’s time to order your neighborhood watch t-shirt. As an added bonus, a member designed matching doggie bandannas with our logo embroidered on them.  They’re cute! Call Roselyn for details.

SENIORS AGAINST CRIME: Seniors Against Crime http://www.seniorsvscrime.com/ will speak at our January 5^th meeting.  Their goal is to keep senior citizens from becoming a victim because of their age.  Please invite your neighbors to attend.

FREE TAX PREPARATION?: Yep! The United Way is offering this service for free. Trained volunteers prepare your taxes, but there are a few limitations. Check out our website at http://regencyparkwatch.com/ for more information.

TIS THE SEASON: Members generously blessed Grace Lutheran Church with $134. This was a “thank you” for letting us use their facilities each month, for free. Contact Roselyn Johnson to make your donation.

WELCOME ABOARD: Tessa Webster is our new Secretary. Congratulations Tessa. Also… we have 3 new members. If any of your neighbors want to join, send them our way.

FINALLY: Effective January 1^st, RPNW will be a Florida non-profit (eligible for grants). Donations are NOT tax deductible on your federal income tax returns.

Please keep an eye on your neighbors’ homes. Criminals know families go out of town this time of year. An empty house is inviting!

Roselyn Johnson

President, RPNW