Show Crime robs innocent home owners of their freedom i t 4 t 4 Ark t tV 9 t V CV L M v ve r t ir ad ada Fk a k v 6 y C 7 I Horizon photo Ed Tile Lile LileA TileA A Neighborhood Watch Mass Meets at Keams Kearns High School Ed Lile Idle Staff Writer RIME is becoming rampant rampant rampant ram ram- CRIME pant throughout t the e Salt Lake City area enough that homeowners are beginning to feel threatened right in their own homes It is not just a matter of the homes that are hit but according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to Captain George Nielsen of the Salt Lake County County County Coun Coun- ty Sheriffs Sheriff's department t schools and automobiles are the most vulnerable The vehicles seem to be 24 hour on-going on targets for vandalism vandalism van van- and theft According to Nielsen homes are the targets for smash and grab burglaries Within the last 30 days the east side of Salt Lake City has had Olympus High School seminary Skyline High School seminary and East Millcreek Stake Center broken into and vandalized doors damaged locked rooms broken into and electronic equipment stolen A recent incident involved a group of youths who drove a up pick-up truck up Millcreek Canyon loaded it with small rocks then being equipped with wrist rockets drove up and down the streets of the East Millcreek and Holladay areas and proceeded to shoot shootout shootout shootout out windows of homes result result- ing in about in damages These are but one or two isolated isolated isolated iso iso- incidents There are many more the proof is on the TV news and in in the daily newspapers Nielsen said We need the eyes and the help of the com com- One more problem that has invaded the communities is that of graffiti It is serious enough that Sheriff Bill Morris of the sheriffs sheriff's public affairs department has organized Residents Against Graffiti RAG Morris along with M Michael chael Thompson and Richie Mc- Mc Conde have gone out weekly for the past six months to help clean up the graffiti mess Its It's not just a matter of the youth gangs who use graffiti to identify identify iden iden- their territory but young kids who think thin this is a fun game are creating the problem Morris said This isn't a joking matter Nor will it go away by nonchalantly nonchalantly nonchalantly non non- assuming someone else will take care of the lem Frankly youth gangs drug dealers burglaries vandalism vandalism vandalism van van- and other crimes are robbing us of our right to privacy and security within our own homes and neighbor neighbor- hoods OK you say what can I do about it One of the biggest problems but not the solution is the attitude of tax payers who expect the police to solve the crime wave Unfortunately that attitude that will compound compound compound com com- pound the problem not solve it We as taxpayers need to help the law enforcement agen agen- cies Sheriff Aaron Kennard strongly believes our citizens have the right to feel safe and secure Other needs seem inconsequential inconsequential inconsequential in in- consequential compared to the need to feel safe in our own homes safety homes safety and security of not only ourselves but of our families Neighborhood Watch programs can be the answer according to Sheriff Kennard There have been two mass Neighborhood Watch meetings where members of the sheriffs sheriff's office under the direction of Kennard along with community community community com com- leaders have outlined program operations They pass out literature on what the citizen can do and how they can protect their property and families Kennard stated Although we help establish the Neighborhood Neighbor Neighbor- hood Watch program we need help to carry it forward The program belongs to to the community community community com com- the community who provide the eyes and ears that will deter burglars from s P n tn l u. u 1 0 t I 1 Di 1 t iW V w PJ t lt Ho Horizon zon photo Ed Lie Salt Lake City Sherriff Aaron Kennard speaks to concerned neighbors u r i i i ii iI I I iI iI I T t I IJ J Ii i Y 3 i ii i ii I i L. 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I t c. c I j c 4 i ck k r 1 J Horizon photo Ed lie Lile Sheriff Bill Morris informs group of his clean up programs neighborhoods and provide law enforcement with the information information in in- f formation that will lead to the arrests of violators The East Millcreek Lions Club under the direction of Lion Verlin has established established established the tle program in the East Millcreek community complete complete complete com com- with 18 by 36 reflective reflective reflective tive Neighborhood Watch signs and pressure sensitive window stickers They have organized organized organized or or- neighborhood teams held mass meetings and have had excellent response from the citizens It is just a simple matter of getting involved Kennard also said that neighbors who organize a Neighborhood Watch program know it takes effort A good program needs the involvement involvement involvement involve involve- ment of many not just one or two to do all the work The program is much stronger and will last much longer if everyone helps elps Remember Neighborhood Watch participants are not vigilantes Kennard said They simply watch their areas and report suspicious activities activities activities ac ac- ac- ac to the law enforcement enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment agencies It helps us help you |