Know Your Neighbor, Know Your Neighborhood Initiative Pays Dividends

WILTON MANORS, Fla., April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wilton Manors Police Department's (W.M.P.D.) collaborative efforts with City residents entitled "Know Your Neighbor - Know Your Neighborhood," has yielded impressive results in the first quarter of 2014.

"The Know Your Neighbor – Know Your Neighborhood initiative launched in 2011 to improve public safety by pro-actively detecting criminal activity," stated Wilton Manors' Police Chief Paul O'Connell. "This pro-active approach to fighting crime relies on alert citizens who report suspicious activity which then initiates an immediate response by the W.M.P.D."

This program continues to see successes as during the first quarter of 2014 the W.M.P.D. has captured eleven (11) burglars, charging them with over twenty (20) burglaries, logging an impressive twenty three percent clearance rate, and recovering well over $14,000 in stolen property. Additionally, the W.M.P.D. is currently in the process of solving and clearing another ten (10) vehicle burglaries as well as a residential burglary as soon as the investigations are completed. 

"Pro-active, collaborative efforts are so vital to the safety of our residents and the community at-large," stated O'Connell. In addition to the "Know Your Neighbor-Know Your Neighborhood" initiative, Chief O'Connell also urges residents to participate in programs such as:

• Smart Water CSI, a liquid substance with coding that is used to mark valuables such as jewelry and electronics whereas the coding is registered to citizen. If the valuables are stolen and recovered, resources can be used to identify Smart Water and it can be returned to the owner.  To learn more contact Sgt. Biagio Balistreri / (954) 390-2161 / [email protected].
• Crime Watch, is an active neighborhood crime watch program, with several cells throughout the city. A member of the W.M.P.D. will meet with anyone who wants to start a crime watch in their area, discuss crime prevention tactics to protect themselves and their community. Pamphlets and materials are available. To learn more contact Jim Kirchoff, 954-390-2156, [email protected].
• Bike Registration, is available to all Wilton Manors residents. W.M.P.D will provide each resident a serial number to place on their bike. If the bike is lost or stolen and found/returned, the W.M.P.D. will be able to trace it back to the owner. To learn more call (954)390-2150.
• House Check Program, provides vacationing residents with peace of mind by offering routine monitoring for their home on different dates and times while they are away. Please note that this service is available for a maximum of  30 days. To enroll, download a House Check Form at www.wmpd.org and either mail it to WMPD, e-mail it to [email protected] or drop it off at the police department. To learn more call (954) 390-2150.

Let the criminals beware, Wilton Manors citizens will not allow themselves to be victims and the Wilton Manors Police Department stands in partnership with them ready to protect their city 24/7.  We want to thank our residents for their active involvement in their community and we remind everyone to "Know Your Neighbor – Know Your Neighborhood"! 

SOURCE Wilton Manors Police Department