The Rosewood Initiative

We have completed a longer more indepth study and here are the results:

The stop at 162nd Ave/ E. Burnside with classical music has seen a 40% reduction in calls for service since November for same period last year.  This is an early study, but a positive start.

On November 16th, 2010 TriMet installed a system that plays classical music at the 162nd/ Burnside MAX platform at our request.  We had researched low-cost, innovative ways to reduce crime at the stop.  In 1993 the transit system in London, England started playing classical music at its most troubled stops.  They found an immediate reduction in crime.  The first month of data for our attempt has shown a 42% reduction in calls for service at 162nd/ Burnside.  We are going to do a more comprehensive study soon.

There have been two recent vehicle thefts in Rosewood area.  One vehicle theft was a “car jacking” robbery and the other was a vehicle that was left “warming up” in the driveway of an apartment complex.  These two seemingly separate incidents do have something in common.  Both incidents could have been prevented by using simple crime prevention techniques.  Leaving a car to warm up is an open invitation to a criminal to steal the vehicle.  Every year at this time we see an increase of this type of vehicle theft.  The criminals on the street actually have a word for this type of theft, they call it a “steamer”.    Leaving your car running to warm up, not only wastes gas, it is likely the biggest risk to the loss of a valuable you will experience.  Though I can not talk about the specifics of the “car jacking” case, I can tell you many times theses type of cases start with someone not locking their car doors followed up by not paying attention to their surroundings.  A couple things to remember to avoid a car jacking incident:  Lock your doors once you are in the car and always  pay attention as you come to a stop sign or traffic light.  Know who is around you and what they are doing.  If it looks unsafe and you can turn around before you get to the intersection, do so.  I have talked to victims of car jackings and most times they have said they saw a  suspicious person or group at the stop light or stop sign, but they pulled up anyway.  Also, don’t forget to call in what you see, so police can come check out the area.  Calling the police may prevent someone else from becoming a victim.

The next Apartment managers and owners meeting is set for Wednesday, October 20th 1pm at Papa’s Pizza 163rd/Stark.  We will give project updates and ask for your input on future activities.  We’ll also discuss what can be done about large groups of youth that trespass and cause disturbances in the area.  Know of an owner or manager in the area that hasn’t attended a meeting in a while?  Call them and invite them.

The Rosewood area has experienced some recent thefts from cars.  Thefts from cars are one of the most preventable crimes that occur in the Rosewood area.  One of the most important steps you can take to prevent a theft from your vehicle is to remove all visible items from your vehicle.  When a thief looks into your vehicle they are looking for bags, laptops, and GPS units.  If you leave a bag in your car, even if it does not contain valuables you may become a victim of theft and the associated damage to your vehicle.  Remember thieves can not tell what is in the bag before they break in, so even if your bag contains nothing of value, they won’t find that out before they damage your vehicle.

The Apartment Owners/ Managers meeting will be re-scheduled for October.

Clear Creek Community Ministries has been providing coffee, hot cocoa, and/or warm food at the 162nd Ave / Burnside Platform on Friday evenings for three years!  Friday, October 1st, they will celebrate the third anniversary at 7:30pm.  Clear Creek Community Ministries has been doing the Friday evening program in order to help create a safe environment at the platform.  If you are in the area, please stop by and introduce yourself.

New research from the Portland Police Bureau Crime Analysis Unit shows shootings and shots fired calls are down 37% in Rosewood.  The numbers reflect January 2009 to August 2009 calls compared with the same time period in 2010.  This is great news!