Watchful Neighbors

A watchful neighbor and quick action by four Montgomery police officers resulted in the arrest of three men breaking into cars last week, reflecting how community involvement can reduce crime in the city.

Police departments alone cannot reduce criminal behavior and partnerships such as this one make a big difference. The neighbor who called was able to give dispatch a detailed description of the suspects and police officer Robert Roberts was on the scene immediately. Officers Anthony Osborne and Joseph Peterson also responded. The officers conducted a safety search of the subjects and found one of them in possession of a large number of coins as well as a substance believed to be Spice. The officers canvassed the area and were able to make contact with a victim, who advised that his vehicle had been unlawfully entered and that change had been stolen from inside the car. The officers canvassed vehicles in the neighborhood and found many of them to be unlocked.

One of the suspects gave a full confession and further advised that the group was planning to commit additional vehicle burglaries. The suspects were taken into custody and an additional warrant was secured for one of the men for Obstructing Justice Using False Identity.

During the investigation, it was discovered that two additional suspects stole another neighbor’s Chevy Tahoe. The pair was reportedly headed to the west side of town, where Officer A.L. Goins is assigned to patrol. Because he knows this district, so well, he was able to locate the stolen truck in only a few minutes.

As engaged citizens, trust your instincts when something doesn’t look right and report all suspicious activity. Remember, you are an expert at recognizing what does and doesn’t look out of place in your neighborhood. You may just prevent someone in your neighborhood from becoming a crime victim.

In addition, protect your property by securing your valuables. Don’t leave packages or valuables in plain sight. Briefcases, sun glasses, small change, gym bags, and electronics are all tempting to a thief. Take your valuables with you or lock them in your trunk- but not at the spot where you intend to leave your vehicle. A potential thief may be watching you.

Law enforcement agencies often can recover stolen vehicles if they have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Look for your number on the serial number plate (usually mounted on top of the dashboard on the driver’s side just under the windshield) and write it down. An identifiable number may not stop a theft, but it can help stop and prosecute the thief and return the stolen property to its rightful owner.

Don’t leave your automobile registration, credit cards, or other important information in your glove compartment. A thief could use these documents to try to resell your car.

When the community and police work together, neighborhoods become safety networks. The ability of each of us to contribute to our own well-being and increase community safety is more important now than ever. While law enforcement will always be the gatekeepers of the law, it is everyone’s responsibility to speak up when they see potential danger and take safety precautions.

Over the Limit

A nightclub can be its own worst enemy if its owners have a difficult time turning paying customers away. A business owner looks at a door as a way for paying customers to get in. A fire inspector looks at a door as a way for people to get out in case of emergency.

Just last year, a fire swept through a packed, popular nightclub in Brazil, killing at least 233 people. Many patrons died from smoke inhalation. Others were trampled in the rush for the exits. About 2,000 people were inside the club when the fire broke out -- double the maximum capacity of 1,000.

Montgomery Fire/Rescue Chief Investigator Mark Williams said that during a state

of panic, people are rushing out of the door and sometimes get stuck or fall down and cause a jam at the door. “As people continue try to get out they begin to climb over people and eventually the means of egress is impassable,” he said.

Chief Williams said Montgomery Fire/Rescue conducts hundreds of unannounced night club inspections each year. If a club is found to be overcrowded, the business is immediately shut down for 16 hours. The owner is given a summons to court and if found guilty, he or she must attend a City Council meeting to explain why the club was overcrowded. For the first violation, the Council may suspend the club’s business license for 10 days. If the club is found to be overcrowded again within the same year, the Council may revoke its license. Fines can vary, but the standard fee is $500 plus court costs

“This year we have only had to shut down one club. In the years past the problem was much worse but through enforcement efforts the issue has gotten much better,” Chief Williams said.

Business owners and city officials alone cannot prevent nightclub fires and other accidents. They also need help from the patrons themselves. If a place seems overcrowded, get out. You could be putting yourself in danger by hanging around in a club that is full beyond its capacity. If you believe a club is over its occupancy rate, call 911 and report the problem.

Chief Williams said it is always good to look at your surroundings and be familiar with where all the exits are located. “We are creatures of habit and we tend to want to exit the same way we go into a building. Have a plan in case you have to exit due to an emergency,” he said.

Operation DOMINO Is Working

Montgomery Police Department Interim Chief John Brown told the crowd at the announcement of Operation DOMINO last week that he wanted citizens to be able to sleep at night in the Capitol of Dreams without fearing for their safety.

Montgomery residents should be able to sleep better tonight because that operation is already making a difference.

MPD's Operation DOMINO is realizing results in its first seven days, with 104 felony arrests, 384 misdemeanor arrests and 24 illegal firearms seized. MPD began the multi-pronged initiative July 24 to help curb crime and increase safety throughout the city. The chart above totals each day’s activities.

MPD is achieving its goal of making Montgomery a safer city by using a combination of good data and excellent police work. Expect even more great results in the weeks to come.

The Montgomery Police Department will host a graduation ceremony for the 21 members of the 2014 Citizens’ Police Academy on Tuesday night. The class has successfully completed a 10-week curriculum designed to provide local residents with a working knowledge of the MPD. .

The academy’s 30 hours of instruction are provided by MPD staff and cover all aspects of police mission and operations. This is the eighth academy class since the Citizens’ Police Academy was founded in 2006

Meet John Brown, Interim MPD Police Chief

Interim Police Chief John E. Brown says he is honored to have the chance to lead the city’s police force and looks forward to building upon existing partnerships and solidifying plans already underway.

Chief Brown said one of those partnerships involves the work of the Montgomery Homicide Review Commission- a group of law enforcement and social service officials who come together to find ways to reduce homicides and other violent crimes. “We look at the common causes of violent crime and see what kind of intervention we can provide.” The group will be making recommendations on how to implement some of these crime-reduction projects in the fall.

Another project designed to build a stronger police department will be a streamlining of police efforts. “Chief (Ron) Cook and I are looking at ways that we can make sure our officers are where they need to be. We need to make sure we have officers assigned in central spots and that our manpower is used in the most effective, efficient way possible,” Chief Brown said.

Chief Brown also talked about a new live-fire situation shoot house for officers, particularly S.W.A.T., to improve training capabilities. The new facility will be more interactive and can be used in multiple ways. “We can have teams from the area come and train and also offer continuing education classes,” he said. The Peace Officers Standards & Training Commission is funding the shoot house at MPD’s outdoor range.

Chief Brown said plans also include a move of all motor vehicle crash and ticket reports to a new computer system that will allow officers to access all of the data from their desktops. “This will be a huge improvement in the way we manage our operations,” he said.

The interim chief brings a combination of education, training and experience to the job. He began his career with MPD in 1988, and served three years as a patrol officer before he joined the Juvenile Division as a detective. In 1994, he was promoted to corporal and assigned as a background investigator. In 1998, he was promoted to sergeant and named Recruiting Bureau commander. In that assignment, he was promoted to lieutenant in 2002. He was promoted to captain in 2006 and appointed assistant division commander for the Training and Recruiting Division.

He was promoted to major in 2005, serving as commander of Training and Recruiting and then of the Criminal Investigation Division. In 2012, he was named MPD chief of staff. Chief Brown holds a bachelor’s of science degree in criminal justice from Troy University.

“I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to serve the City of Montgomery as the interim police chief,” Chief Brown said. “MPD will continue to move forward with our plans to strengthen the department as we serve and protect our city.”

Powerful Practices

By Calvin Brown, Director
Montgomery City/County Emergency Management Agency

No matter where you are, emergencies can strike swiftly and with forces so powerful that they can uproot entire families. From tornadoes to ice storms and everything in between, weather-related hazards are the emergencies we are most likely to face in the River Region. These events can strike with little warning, and our best defense against them is to have a plan and practice it with our families.

If you have children, your family may not necessarily be together when disaster strikes. Complete a card with contact information for each member of your family and make sure these cards are placed in wallets and book bags. Decide on a contact person such as a friend or relative who lives out of state for members of your family to notify that they are safe. As odd as it may seem, during a natural disaster it may be easier to make a long-distance call than one across town.

Teach even young family members how to use text messaging because these messages can often get around call disruptions when a telephone can’t.

Other actions families can take to stay safe include working together to build an emergency kit, sitting down as a family to talk about your communications plan, role-playing what you would do as a family, and holding fire drills in your home.

Remember the basics in putting together an emergency supply kit: one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days; at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food; a manual can opener; a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries; flashlight and batteries; first aid kit; a whistle to signal for help; and a cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger.

These are just a few ideas on keeping your family safe during emergencies. For more information contact FEMA at http://www.ready.gov/. A little planning can help protect the ones you love the most!

Fire/Rescue Puzzle Comes Together after Months of Planning, Work

By Fire Chief Miford Jordan
Montgomery Fire/Rescue

When we placed new Rescue 98 into service Friday at Fire Station No. 9, it was like adding that final piece of a complicated jigsaw puzzle that you've been working on for a long time. What a relief ... and what a satisfying moment!

Many people may not realize it took more than 18 months of saving and planning through two budget cycles to put Rescue 98 to work for our city. Before the vehicle was even built, we were occupied behind the scenes for months working to equip it. Then, moving into DPS SouthCentral gave us enough space to add the new medic unit, and a federal grant allowed us to hire more firefighters to provide the staffing we needed.

Determining the need for this truck and where it would go involved many working pieces, much like that large puzzle. An important piece was figuring out where the demand for emergency services will be in Montgomery and how we can fulfill that demand. We also used data to learn where we could best reduce response times for the greatest number of people.

The data confirmed that Station 9, located right at the intersection of McGehee Road and East South Boulevard, is a busy place that's centrally located. This year in February alone, Engine 9 responded to 191 medical calls and 44 fire suppression calls. The addition of Rescue 98 will make Engine 9 more readily available for suppression, plus the smaller medic unit operates at reduced cost.

So, why go to all this trouble for one new medic unit? In our business, seconds count. In fact, a few seconds can make a life-or-death difference to a cardiac patient or car wreck victim waiting for emergency medical response. We believe we'll see reduced response time for both medical and suppression calls, and those seconds could mean a life saved or a family home preserved.

We are always looking to the future at Montgomery Fire/Rescue, especially as our city continues to grow. The next puzzles we take on may be even larger and more complicated, but we owe it to Montgomery to plan for its future needs in fire services and to figure out how to meet those needs.

Emergency Communications Looking for Dedicated Professionals

By Larry Fisher - Director
Montgomery Emergency Communications Center

How would you like to have a job so important that when you lay down your head at night, you realize that today you saved someone’s life? 9-1-1 call processors know that feeling well.

Let’s say a call comes into our 9-1-1 Center. Multiple call processors reach to answer the call. One of them gets the call, answering within the first 15 seconds. This is the standard the Center uses, adopted from the National Fire Protection Association. Will this call be a life-or-death emergency? You never know and you can never hesitate … seconds count!

Processing 9-1-1 emergency calls and dispatching the proper response to help people is a calling. Not everyone can handle the job — not because they can’t learn the complex computerized phone system, software applications or learn the police and fire background information to be successful, but simply because of the nature of the calls.

The 9-1-1 Center handles every type of emergency call you can think of, whether it is a domestic violence situation, a robbery, a heart attack, or even icy patches on the road. Some people think it helps if you are an “adrenaline junkie,” or someone who needs excitement every second of their life.

I believe this job requires people who can handle extremely high levels of stress and who desire to help the public in a rapid, real-time world. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. You must be able to sympathize without empathizing.

Think this is a job you would enjoy doing? Your 9-1-1 Center is always looking for dedicated professionals. Interested? Contact the City/County Personnel Office at (334) 241-2675. Let us know if you would like to begin a new career in one of the most rewarding jobs you can find.

You will start by attending an eight- to 12-week academy that will help you develop the skills you need to be successful. Hourly wages are good, starting at $11.62 an hour during training and going to a beginning salary of $13.04 an hour once you have finished training. The benefits are excellent with paid holidays, medical insurance, and a retirement system. You can check out all of the benefits at www.Montgomeryal.gov.

Being an emergency communications officer is a challenging job, but it is also rewarding. 9-1-1 operators serve more than 96 percent of the nation’s citizens, and we are always looking for good employees. Recent changes to Alabama law have provided a separate funding stream for emergency communications that allows a level of job security not seen in many other fields.

We are also part of the Montgomery Department of Public Safety family, along with our brothers and sisters in police, fire/rescue and emergency management. And we are just that: family.

As an emergency call processor, you can join the MDPS family and make a difference in a job that is rewarding, challenging, and secures for you a bright future.

Getting Rid of the Junk

By J. Christopher Murphy

What if you looked out of your window and saw someone you didn’t know unscrewing the light bulb from your neighbor’s front porch? What would you do?

That’s exactly what happened to a Neighborhood Association president I met last week. He first called the police. He and another neighbor then went out to investigate why a strange young man was on their friend’s porch. He did the right thing and called the police, but what really caught my attention were two things: His sense of ownership of safety in his neighborhood and his attitude of defiance against crime.

"We don't allow that junk in our neighborhood,” he told me.

Making Montgomery a safer community for everyone may take a little defiance, along with a sense of ownership on everyone's part. You can help by getting information to help identify suspects such as jotting down car tags, providing clothing descriptions, or making a mental note of the suspect’s height and weight.

The active roles of our community partners make all the difference, and we at MDPS are also doing everything we can to combat crime. Our approach has involved surgically and tactically aggressive policing such as removing more than 500 illegal guns from the streets, more community policing, and specific operations in high-crime neighborhoods. We also must keep working to build strong partnerships among the police, schools, neighborhood groups, churches, parent groups and others dedicated to building a better Montgomery.

We also are excited about a new long-term program, the Montgomery Homicide and Violent Crime Review Commission, to help identify and address specific causes of crime.

As Mayor Todd Strange explained to the news media Friday, changing the life of a child is a victory. He said the City is also working on helping find solutions to crime problems, including mentoring programs for young people. The results may not be seen for many years, but such programs are positive steps in helping young people find the support systems they need to live productive lives instead of abusing alcohol or drugs, joining gangs, and/or committing crimes.

Police Chief Kevin Murphy also said the Department is reaching out to professionals such as emergency room physicians and social workers for insights on reaching the city's youth. Many do not have the support systems they need at home and turn to the streets for their sense of "family."

There's a lot of good in Montgomery, and one of our greatest assets is citizens who look out for the public's safety with an attitude toward crime that says "we don't allow that junk in our neighborhood."