“Emergency Reach Out” event today at Arbor Heights Elementary

Today from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Arbor Heights Elementary, Emergency Reach Out will be taking place. 

Emergency Reach Out
 

From the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network blog:

The full schedule of presentations is as follows:

10:00 – 10:30 West Seattle Be Prepared

10:30 – 10:45 West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network and Seattle Public Utilities

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 SNAP (Seattle Neighborhoods Activily Prepare)

Noon – 12:30 Break

12:30 – 1:15 Red Cross

1:15 – 1:35 Seattle Animal Shelter

1:35 – 2:00 Seattle Fire Department

As noted above, FREE Latte and Pastry Cart from 10:00 to Noon. Snacks and grill items are available for purchase from BigFood Trucks. Amazing Raffle Prizes and Gifts for attendees!

Hat tip: West Seattle Blog

SPD warns of increase in street robberies

 We just received a newsletter warning of increases street robberies around the south precinct. 

We have noted an increase in strong armed robberies in the South Precinct area in the past several weeks. These robberies have been in the form of necklaces being grabbed from around the victims’ neck, purse snatches, and cell phones being snatched out of victims’ hands.
In most incidents, the crime victims describe a lone male suspect, however we have incidents involving two or more male suspects and another involving one male and one female as the robbers. Based on the witness and victim descriptions, there may be several different suspects committing these robberies. The robberies have occurred most often in the afternoon-evening hours. In most cases, the robbery victim was alone or had appeared to be alone.
The victims of these crimes have noted that the suspects had either been following them or had been observing them for a short time before committing the robbery. One victim noted a suspect following her in and out of several stores. She got nervous and left one store, which is when the robber struck. Other witnesses have noted that the suspects appeared to be waiting and watching for potential victims.

You can read the Seattle Police Department community newsletter here, which includes safety tips.

Crime: UPS Package and Car Ransacked and Seattle Night Out

We received this message via Facebook yesterday:

WARNING!!!! We live on Jacobsen Road and came home to my package delivered from UPS open and item stolen. Be aware of mail thieves and package thieves.

And learned from another neighbor by Jacobsen/Beach Drive that their car was ransacked….nothing was stolen because nothing was left to steal.  However the creeps left the glove box open and it was apparent someone had gone through the car looking for valuables.

Seattle Night Out is less than a month away on August 7th – let's have a HUGE turn out. If you're planning a SNO around Beach Drive, please comment and let us know or send me a private email.

Lights installed at Me Kwa Mooks/Emma Schmitz Park

Lights have been installed to help improve safety at Emma Schmitz/Me Kwa Mooks Park. This will help illuminate the lower park along the water which has very little visibility from the street.  The lights have been added to existing light poles.

 

BeforeAfter

photo on left is before the additional light was added

 

This is the area where Greggette Guy may have been murdered earlier this year.  

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Many Beach Drive neighbors and others who typically walk this area are familiar with seeing grafiti and other crimes take place in this section of the park.  

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Let's hope shedding some light in this secluded area helps to make this park a safer place for all.

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The addition of lights to this area of Beach Drive is one of the recommendations from the community safety walk that took place at the beginning of this month. Hat tip to Tazi's human for sharing this tip with us.

Police and Neighbors walk Beach Drive Parks in an effort to improve safety

If not for our youngest son graduating from Kennedy High School last night, we would have joined our neighbors on the Beach Drive Community Walk.  Thanks to West Seattle Blog and West Seattle Herald for covering this.  And a huge thanks to the neighbors who were able to participate in the safety walk and have shared their views about last night's walk.

 

It's interesting to me that the representative from the Seattle Parks Department expressed concern about maintaining privacy in a public park.   

Did you participate in last night's walk?  We'd love to have your input on how you thought it went.

Hopefully this will be an event that will cause more action to be taken by the City to improve the safety of these parks.

Mark Solomon with the Seattle Police Department indicated to me that it's possible that we may have more community safety walks in the future.

Now that the safety walk has happened, and the various representives from the police and parks department have talked the talk, will they walk the walk?  Only their actions will tell.

Don’t Forget the Beach Drive Community Safety Walk on June 1

I just confirmed with Mark Solomon with the Seattle Police Department that the Beach Drive Community Safety Walk is still taking place tomorrow night at 6:30pm.  The plan is to "muster at Emma Schmitz Park and canvas a portion of Beach Drive, completing our walk at Me Kwa Mooks Park".  

I'm not sure exactly where at Emma Schmitz this will be commencing, if I find additional information, I will share it with you.

This event is as a result of the tragic unsolved murder of Greggette Guy that took place over two months ago.  

We're hoping for a huge turn-out!  Please spead the word to your Beach Drive neighbors.

Community Safety Walk on Beach Drive

We have been notified by Mark Solomon, Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Seattle Police Department, that a community safety walk has been scheduled for June 1, 2012 at 6:30 pm.

Following the tragic murder of Greggette Guy two months ago, several in the Beach Drive community have been expressing concern about the safety of Emma Schmitz and Mee Kwa Mooks parks in the evening.  This walk is to give us an opportunity to point out areas that could have improved safety.

When and if I have more information from Mark Solomon or any other City officials, I'll let you know.

 

Seattle Police Department Newsletter

Download Seattle Police Email Newsletter112

You can read the most recent Seattle Police Department Newsletter by clicking the link above.  

 

West Seattle Crime Prevention Council Meeting Tonight at 7pm

Via West Seattle Blog:

PARKS SUPERINTENDENT AT WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Issues of safety and security at city parks arose after last month’s murder of Greggette Guy, believed to have happened at West Seattle’s waterfront Emma Schmitz Viewpoint. Tonight, acting Seattle Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams is the guest at the WS Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting; Southwest Precinct police leadership also will be there as always to discuss the latest crime trends and answer community questions. 7 pm, SW Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster).

 

I'm just learning of this now, thanks to Suzanne, if any of our readers are going – please feel free to share your comments or what you learn at tonight's meeting.

UPDATE:  Here is West Seattle Blog's coverage of what was discussed regarding the murder of Greggette Guy.

Seattle police increasing their presence along Beach Drive SW

By land and by sea, Seattle police are keeping their word regarding increased visibility along the Emma Schmitz Memorial Park.  This cruiser was spotted off the park Monday afternoon…

SafeParks

Is this show of force making you feel safer? According to Captain Paulsen of the SPD during his report to concerned residents on March 20, he stated:

One of the things I have done is thrown some extra patrol cars down in the area, it’s not so much going to catch somebody or anything, but … this type of crime causes a lot of fear and we want to subside that fear by having this presence down there for you all. … Trying to think what else I’d like to say in regards to that. (watch video on West Seattle Blog

According to many of the neighbors within a stones throw of Emma Schmitz, shedding some light on the park would help the nerves a whole lot more.  A little digging has uncovered a successful attempt to light up a nearby park just north named Cormorant Cove (just so happens that Greggettes body was recovered at this park).

ParkLighting

When asking Seattle City Light what needs to happen to get the same treatment for Emma Schmitz, a representative responded…

The flood light on the pole by Cormorant Cove Park is being paid for by HARBOR WEST CONDO HOA which is the condominiums right next door. The light is actually angled toward the condo's although it is illuminating the park area too. If you'd like a flood light at Emma Schmitz Park my advice is to contact and get approval from Sea. Parks & Recreation at (206)684-4075. The monthly fee for a 400 W flood is $17.64. 

Well, I can tell you that this particular light is squarely focused on the park. There's another light on the pole just to the south that illuminates the condos parking lot. Less than $20 bucks a month?… I'll bet 2 months of park lighting that other Beach Drive neighbors would kick into a fund for lighting the lower section of Emma Schmitz for years to come. 

 Scupper for Beach Drive Blog