The 4th Quarterly meeting of the APD Commanders Forum was held on November 13th, 7pm at Austin Revival Center on Deen St. Attending from North Shoal Creek was Mary Arnett and Roger Wines. Sgt. Beechinor and District Rep Mike Young spoke about the new Rundberg Revitalization Initiative. Previously, North Shoal Creek block captains and most Board Members signed a petition and letter of support requesting the City Manager to give special attention to this crime ridden area. Other NACN neighborhoods gave their petitions as well.
A combined effort with North Central and North East District Reps, North Austin Coalition of Neighborhoods, North Austin Coalition of Businesses, Metro Tactical Unit (formerly Street Response), Travis County DA, Code Enforcement and a new Safe Unit in the District Attorney’s Office will hopefully become more pro-active about prosecuting cases and starting legal action against several area businesses that are suspected of encouraging criminal behavior and chronic criminal behavior such as drugs and prostitution. The Safe Unit is a team in the same building with the District Attorney, composed of an officer from APD, Amy Lynch, and also a newly assigned DA, John Hurt, who will work together as a team that will be addressing the prosecution of criminals in such concentrated areas such as Rundberg Lane.
On Sat., Dec. 1st, there will be a march from Lamar and 183 to Rundberg to call attention to certain businesses that a problematic in harboring crime. The time is to be determined at a later date. It is hoped that with the visible presence and audible outcry from the surrounding neighborhoods, the DA’s office and city officials will take notice of community “buy in” to cleaning up the area.
The Auto Theft Interdiction Unit has deployed their “bait vehicles” (vehicles donated by various insurance companies and outfitted with special equipment for tracking thieves) 51 times in the NC area. There were 19 activations (potential thief takes the bait) resulting in 11 arrests. The North Central Command area holds the records for the fastest activation…..it only sat there for 10 minutes before one would-be thief took the bait!
Sgt. Beechinor reminded everyone that during the holiday season, Burglary of a Vehicle becomes the most frequent crime. Perpetrators are usually transient (walking or drive through) and opportunistic (looking for an easy target). He encouraged everyone to take measures to leave any type of valuable (even spare change) out of view, lock your car and take the keys with you.
Of the Burglary of a Residence crimes that have been committed, 23% were from first floor windows, 34% were front door break-ins, 22% were back door breakins, 4% were basement breakins, 2% were 2nd floor breakins and 6% were unlocked storage areas. APD encourages everyone to call Kay Vargas for a free home security survey. If you will be out of town, have neighbors watch your property, turn lights on and off at various times, pick up newspapers and mail, so that it appears someone is coming and going.
Commander Phil Crochet gave 3rd quarter violent crime stats as follows:
There has been a downward trend compared with previous periods.
Auto Theft Prevention stats:
Of the stolen vehicles in North Central Command, there were 11% with the keys in the ignition, 82% had doors unlocked, 64% of the stolen vehicles were recovered within the area.
Blue Santa (bluesanta@ci.austin.tx.us) is located at 4101 S Industrial Blvd, ste 260. You can take toys to any fire station by Nov 25, after that directly to Blue Santa. Watch out of toys that have been recalled for lead and other problems.
There is a mini-cleanup of a blighted property at 300 Hackberry off Rundberg on Sat. November 23 and 24th.
There is a free Vin Etching on November 29th from 10am to noon at La Hacienda Market, 9717 N Lamar. The etching is a chemical etching, very simple to do. They will also be doing HEAT registration. This is a program where your vehicle is entered into a state database and if your car is out between 2:00am and 6:00am, police vehicles may stop you and identify your vehicle.
Criminal Trespass Initiative:
In an effort to clean up areas where transients have formed camps, APD is working with code enforcement on better procedures where they can proactively enter property and make arrests. State law says that signs must be posted indicating NO TRESSPASSING. Owners can have a standing agreement with APD to allow officers to come onto the property to make arrests. Officers can be proactive and, ultimately, this denies certain areas to vagrants. There are 20 locations in NC area that are being worked by APD now to keep transients away.
There was “Operation Clean Sweep” held on Sept 8th to encourage neighborhood help cleaning up the 2 block area around Austin Revival Center on Deen St, east of Lamar, South of Rundberg.
