Ask the Chief

The greatest assist an officer has is the people living in a community. You are often the first to see something and recognize situations that are not normal.

It could be a suspicious person or a car in the neighborhood.

It could be a partially open door, newspapers gathering on a doorstep or not seeing your elderly neighbor for a few days.

There are numerous situations that could cause you to pause and question what is going on ... I respect your intuition and encourage you to recognize it.

The situation you see that causes you concern could be completely innocent and most often are; however there are times that people are in need of help.

I encourage you to take action when in doubt.

If it is safe, you can try to make contact with your neighbor by knocking on their door and making sure they are ok.

If someone is parked in front of your home, you could ask them if they are lost. If you see a person or situation that you think is dangerous, you should take a photo with your phone and call 911.

When you do you will be asked to provide as much detail as possible.

It is very helpful to have a name, license plate number, make and color of a vehicle, number of people involved and what they look like.

It’s also extremely important to know why you are concerned.

Don't be shy. Your view of the situation is valuable and needed.

By working together we can help and protect each other.