kingston neighborhood watch meeting
DESCRIPTION
The Presentation for the 1st Kingston Neighborhood Watch infomational Mixer on April13th, 2010 at the Kingston libraryTRANSCRIPT
WELCOME to the 1st MEETING
Thank You All for Joining Us at the Kingston Library.
We know that you all have busy lives, but glad that you know that
it is very important to be here and to Care about our
Community.
Why Are We All Here?• Safety and security is ranked one of the most
essential human needs by psychologist Abraham Maslow.
• We all value a sense of security as a vital feature of the neighborhoods where we live.
• One in four people enjoy building the formal and informal links that strengthen safety.
• People are willing to join together to increase neighborhood safety and six out of ten belong to Neighborhood Watch where it is available
Why Are We All Here?
Neighborhood Cohesion & Community:
(neighbors who know and look out for each other)
among the strongest features of safer neighborhoods
according to researchers at Harvard University
WE HAVE LOST THAT IN KINGSTON!
What’s so great about Kingston?
What’s so great about Kingston?It’s Absolutely Beautiful Here!
We have everything from the Mountains to the River
What’s so great about Kingston?We are an Historic City!
New York’s First Capitol, dating a back to the Revolutionary War!
With Amazing History & Architecture
What’s so great about Kingston?Plus Kingston is unique as it is:
•Close enough to New York City allowing residents to travel to the city for work or events•Influences of Culture and Arts from NYC , Woodstock, UPAC, etc.•Fabulous Restaurants sparked by both locally grown foods and the CIA•Surrounded by incredible nature , parks, preserves, etc.•Incredibly diverse community with so many different kinds of people, yet still has a small town feel.
What’s so great about Kingston?
And, most importantly for all of here today:
Kingston is our HOME
What’s so great about Kingston?Right now, Kingston is Going to
Hell in an Hand Basket!
Recent Concerns In Kingston
2010Let’s Just Begin with
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/11 Resident of Abeel St. was shot once in the leg with a small-
caliber handgun in his apartment.
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street
beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St. was shot once in the leg with a small-
caliber handgun in his apartment.2010
January
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: Bandit wrestled with a clerk at the
Quick Chek on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.2/9:Charles King Jr.,
21, was fatally gunned down in front
of 119 Cedar St.
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally gunned down in front of 119
Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest with a butcher knife
in his home.
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally gunned down in front of 119
Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the
town of Ulster and in Kingston
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.2/9:Charles King Jr.,
21, was fatally gunned down in front
of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St.
& St. James
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.2/9:Charles King Jr.,
21, was fatally gunned down in front
of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-
old city man on Prince Street.
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had attacked him with a
Taser
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had
attacked him with a Taser
4/8: Gang Related Gun Shooting on
Furnace St. in Midtown
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had
attacked him with a Taser
4/8: Gang Related Gun Shooting on Furnace St.
in Midtown
Add in All the
Unreported Muggings
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had
attacked him with a Taser
Add in All the
Unreported Muggings
Add in the Blatant Known Drug
Dealings
4/8: Gang Related Gun Shooting on Furnace St.
in Midtown
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had
attacked him with a Taser
Add in All the
Unreported Muggings
Add in the Blatant
Known Drug Dealings
4/8: Gang Related Gun Shooting on Furnace St.
in Midtown
Prostitution & Crime
Recent Concerns In Kingston
1/30: Woman on Elmendorf Street beaten by boyfriend causing severe head injuries.
1/11 Resident of Abeel St., was shot once in the leg with a small-caliber
handgun in his apartment.
2/4: bandit wrestled with a clerk at the QuickChek
on Albany Ave. all for cigarettes
2/9:Charles King Jr., 21, was fatally
gunned down in front of 119 Cedar St.
2/10 Resident of Delaware Avenue was stabbed in his chest
with a butcher knife in his home.
Mid February: series of burglaries in the town of Ulster and in Kingston
2/20 Beating and Mugging of Greta on the Corner of Wall St. & St.
James
Late Feb: beating and mugging a 23-year-old
city man on Prince Street.
3/18: KPD officer shot a teenager who had
attacked him with a Taser
Add in All the
Unreported Muggings
Add in the Blatant
Known Drug Dealings
4/8: Gang Related Gun Shooting on Furnace St.
in Midtown
Prostitution & Crime
ARE YOU SCARED?
Don’t Be Afraid: Be Empowered
The easy answer is to do NOTHING about it .
Don’t Be Afraid: Be Empowered
We can get as ANGRY as we want,
but that is NOT
going to
make it Safe!
Don’t Be Afraid: Be Empowered
Or we can
all just
sit around
and
COMPLAIN!(pssstt…that’s not going
to help either!)
Don’t Be Afraid: Be Empowered
or we can DO something about it!
Nieghborhood Watch WORKS!
Since 1972, thousands of communities have established Neighborhood Watches and made real difference:
• Birmingham, AL: Thirteen out of 15 neighborhoods had experienced high rates of burglary. After Neighborhood Watch started, 12 of the 15 had no burglaries.
•Lakewood, CO: Burglaries dropped 77 percent after Neighborhood Watch was implemented.
•Cypress, CA: Neighborhood Watch cut burglaries by 52 percent and thefts by 45 percent. The program saved police an estimated $79,000.
Neighborhood Watch WORKS!
Neighborhood Watch Programs:
•Unite the community and increase neighborhood cohesion •Reduces FEAR of crime in the community •Improves crime reporting by citizens•Increases surveillance in the community •Prevents and reduces crime •Enhances homeland security
Neighborhood Watch WORKS!
Neighborhood Watch Programs:
•Unite the community and increase neighborhood cohesion •Reduces FEAR of crime in the community •Improves crime reporting by citizens•Increases surveillance in the community •Prevents and reduces crime •Enhances homeland security
Neighborhood Watch Programs:
#1) Are all about COMMUNICATION!
Remember: Knowledge is Power!
Neighborhood Watch Programs:
#2) and then the pure Safety of NUMBERS
Like the flocking of birds
and shoaling of fish:
by being part of a large group,
individuals face less risk of falling
victim to predators
than they would if traveling alone.
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#1
Open your door and get to know your immediate
Neighbors!
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#1 Seriously, get outside.
Sit on your porch. Say hello to people walking by.
Leave your porch light on
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#2
Pay attention to what you see happening in your area!
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#2 Neighbors should look and listen for:
•Someone screaming, shouting or whistling for help•Someone looking into windows and parked cars •Loud noises•Property being taken from closed businesses orfrom houses where no one is at home •Cars, vans, or trucks moving slowly •Obvious criminal activity like drug deals
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#2 Neighbors should also look for:
•Anyone being forced into a vehicle •A stranger sitting in a car or stopping to talk to a child•Abandoned cars•Any unusual activity in businesses, alleys, isolated areas, and notorious problem spots in your neighborhood
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#3
Communicate what you see!
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
#3: Communicate: Share the knowledge, share the wealth;
What you know does little good if you keep it to yourself, so we are putting methods of communication in place. This way you can
DO something with what you know!
Communication Chains
Communication Chains #3:Understand the Neighborhood Watch
Communication Chain and how it works:
Regular Watch Members: report knowledge to the local Block Steward and communicates down the chain to other neighbors.
Block Steward: report up the chain to the Ward Steward and communicates down the chain to Watch Members.
Ward Steward: Ward Stewards organize and communicate between the Block Stewards and the Neighborhood Watch Executive Board.
Neighborhood Watch Board: Overseas the Ward Stewards and communicates with appropriate City organizations such as KPD, KSD,
etc.
The 6 Million $ Question: How ?
KNW Board
Ward Steward
Block Steward
Block Steward
Watch Member
Ward Steward
Block Steward
Block StewardY
OU!
Concerned
Neighbor
Be an Active Witness When you see or suspect a
crime or wrong doing: •Stay calm. It is important not to panic even though you might be scared. •Call the police immediately!•On the phone, give the police the most important information first—the location of the crime, the type of crime, whether there are injuries, where the criminal went, etc.
Be an Active WitnessWrite down what you saw and heard
immediately!•Tell the police what happened, when, where, and who was involved. Use a form!•Describe the suspect: sex, race, age, height, weight, hair color, and distinctive characteristics (facial hair, scars, tattoos, accent, etc.).•Describe any vehicle involved: color, make, model, year, license plate, and special features: stickers, dents, or decals, as well as the direction of travel from the crime scene.
Can You Help Even More?
Kingston Wants YOU!
Room for Everyone!!
Every neighborhood resident can help.•Young children can pick up litter and take part in specialized child safety programs.•Youth can teach younger children how to stay safe and can organize events for other youth. •Seniors can observe from their homes and make phone calls.
Everybody should have a responsibility, be it small or large.
Are You a Watch Leader?Can you:
•Sustain the effort and do what you say you will do? •Get along well with people and listen constructively?•Use good communication and negotiating skills?•Can you delegate tasks and let go of control?•Conduct meetings effectively and efficiently•Have a long-range vision of neighborhood and community improvement•See the position as a civic duty, not a power trip or a chance for personal gain
Become a Block StewardKingston needs people who, for their
immediate communities, can:•Relay information to other local members•Help provide help for seniors and activities for youth •Hold block meetings and provide Information•Welcome new neighbors and newcomers •Coordinates check-ins for shut-in residents•Helps to identify block problems and arrange to fix them•Notify Ward Stewards regarding all communications
Access Your Community!Meet with your Neighbors and discuss the immediate concerns of where your live. Ask about their observations of the neighborhood. Ask about their concerns and things they want to see happen.•What have residents noticed in general about the community? •What types of activities have residents noticed? Which activities are positive, which are negative? •What can be said about activities of concern? Where, when (what time of day or week)?
Report Back to the Kingston Neighborhood Watch so we can Identify those actions for which solutions are apparent and those that need investigating. We will find help!
Share Your Time and Expertise!We need creative and new ideas!•Are you concerned and can you spare some time to help your community out?•Are you involved with other community service organizations or groups that can work with the KNW on mutual goals?•Can you donate needed items, money, time or skills?•Can you attend fun community functions?•Can you be a good neighbor?
What you can do NOW!Be an Active Part of the Watch!•Fill out a membership form.•Identify your house on the Kingston map.•Pick an area you feel comfortable monitoring and communicating with.•Meet your Neighbors and Community members.•Find an answer to your concerns.
What you can do NOW!
For instance, here is our immediateWall Street. areaneighborhood
What you can do NOW!
We can easilyWatch what goes on in the area covered by the circle.
What you can do NOW!
On the oppositeside of the block,our friends have it covered.
What you can do NOW!
Behind us, we know more folks from the kidsSchool.
What you can do NOW!
Farther down our Block, there isanother neighbor watching out.
What you can do NOW!
And another..
What you can do NOW!
..and another..
What you can do NOW!
Now imagine, ifthere was evenmore neighborsmaking a pointof watching outfor each other!
What you can do NOW!Be an Active Part of the Watch!
•Order a Kingston Neighborhood Watch T-shirt!•Use SeeClickFix.com to report areas for concern like known drug activity or safety issues. Also a great iphone app!•Join a committee that you are interested in.•Leave your porch lights on!•Follow the Kingston-NY-Neighborhood-Watch.com website or on Facebook for news and information.•Help with Kingston Clean Sweep on 4/24
Watch PartnershipsWe are actively finding other local
Kingston Organizations and connecting with them.
The goal is to be able to connect and communicate with those that have the answers to the community problems. There are already enough of organizations in Kingston specializing in a huge number of great programs. The answers are there! We just need to tie the community together!
Watch Partnerships
•Kingston Police Department•Kingston Common Council and Alderpersons•Ulster Country Sherriff's Department•Kingston Uptown Resident’s Alliance•Kingston Public Works•KingstonCitizens.org•Youth organizations Boys and Girls Club•KingstonLandlord Support.org•Local print, radio, TV and online media
Out of the BoxWe’re thinking of new creative ideas to help better the quality of life for all community members. For instance; many citizenshave expressed a concern about the safety of kids skateboarding in the streets;
Out of the BoxSo we would like to find and help facilitate a solution!Possibilities include:Reopen the Skate park at the YMCAMaybe a new Park like the Saugerties one at Forsyth?Engage the help of other skateboarders from Kingston who have grown up here, are now adults, but still identify and sympathize with the problem.
Watch Partnerships
“Crime prevention is a pattern of attitudes and behaviors directed at reducing the
threat of crime and enhancing the sense of safety and security, to positively influence the quality of life in our
society, and to develop environments where crime cannot flourish”
SourceNational Crime Prevention Council - 1990
Together We Can:
Make Kingston into the Community
We want it to be!Wouldn’t that be nice!
Thank You
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead .
Thank You
http://www.kingston-ny-neighborhood-watch.com
845-339-2640 or cell 845-332-7009