Feature
January
13
Taking Back the Neighborhood
by Stephanie Detillier
In the past two years, the Houma Police Department and residents have banded together to drive out crime and bring neighbors together.
Wright Avenue residents noticed an increase in the number of car burglaries. Most of them occurred on weekends, when trespassers would take advantage of complacent citizens who did not lock their vehicles.
Neighbors refused to accept this outbreak as a new reality of their community. Instead, they promised to report any disturbance, even triggered car alarms, to the police department. The Wright Avenue Neighborhood Watch Association kept a spreadsheet tracking every resident’s call as well as which officer stopped by and took statements. The number of police cars visiting the neighborhood increased and within two weeks the vehicle burglaries stopped.
“There’s no positive proof, but we feel like this happened because they [the burglars] saw we were determined to have a police presence when something happened,” says Mary Lynn Stewart, who leads the Wright Avenue Neighborhood Watch.
Since then, the Houma Police Department has increased its number of neighborhood watch groups from 2 to 17 and revived an old-fashioned law enforcement strategy: When facing a problem as complex as city crime, keep the solution simple.
Reinforcing Tight-knit Neighborhoods
Going back to the basics means officers are now visiting hundreds of residents door-to-door, sharing crime statistics and building trust. Houma residents are doing their part by reporting incidents and simply being good neighbors.
“Downtown Houma is becoming a little Mayberry,” says Linda Henderson, Terrebonne Parish’s community problem solver.
This community shift toward simpler times occurred under the direction of Police Chief Todd Duplantis, who has been committed to enhancing Houma’s Neighborhood Watch Program. The National Neighborhood Watch Program, known for its orange and white signs warning criminals of watchful eyes, was started in 1972 by the National Sheriffs’ Association, but had since waned in many communities.
Consequently, when Chief Duplantis took the helm in 2008, Houma only had two neighborhood watch groups and the police department played a minor role in them. He assigned a captain to attend neighborhood watch meetings, present information, and begin addressing concerns. Even Chief Duplantis attended several meetings and began encouraging the formation of more groups.
The success of existing neighborhood watch programs inspired others. Stewart says two groups alone were formed after their 2009 National Night Out Against Crime event.
Chuck Weaver Jr., who leads the Maple Park Neighborhood Association, which encompasses the Wright Avenue and Jefferson Davis Neighborhood Watch groups, says that the National Night Out Against Crime has been the biggest promotional tool to help inform citizens and recruit participants.
“It has no hidden agenda,” says Weaver. “We’re just trying to promote awareness, encourage neighbors to get to know one another, and get back to how things used to be.”
Forging Partnerships
Neighborhood watch members stay in contact through e-mail correspondence and phone calls. Each group meets at different intervals, some monthly, some every third month, or quarterly, depending on the community’s needs. The meetings allow for an exchange of information.
Neighbors discuss problems they have noticed and officers provide statistics of what crimes have been reported in the area. Chief Duplantis says that openness is a welcomed change from the past.
“Years ago, police enforcement didn’t want to tell residents about crime in their neighborhoods,” he says. “One woman at a neighborhood watch meeting told me, just be honest with us. Whatever you do, don’t come in here and lie to us.”
The meetings have led to stronger partnerships between citizens and officers. Sgt. Sidera Adams says when some residents call in a report; they identify themselves to the dispatchers as neighborhood watch members.
“That makes us really proud,” the sergeant says. “They’re simply being more observant and aware of their surroundings. Instead of blowing it off, they could be helping us solve a crime. Complaints aren’t just filed away.”
“We tell them we’ll do the best we can to address the complaint,” Chief Duplantis explains. “Then we report back and let them know how we’ve been working on it.”
Policing with Technology and Shoe Leather
Each street faces different problems. Neighborhoods not battling drug activity and theft might be frustrated with speeding and abandoned cars. Police rely on reports from citizens to determine what type of law enforcement presence is needed to remedy the problems. With better communication, Chief Duplantis says he does not have to rely on the old method of random police patrols and can better direct resources to where they are most needed.
In August 2009, H.P.D. began using Comp Stat, which generates statistical reports based on preliminary police reports. The computer system tracks the information on a map illustrating where officers are needed and what crime trends are developing. Every two weeks, the department assesses the information, distributes it to officers, and devises a strategic plan.
The most recent crime-prevention initiative has been Walk & Talk, in which officers visit homes in targeted neighborhoods and distribute pamphlets. In the program’s first week, H.P.D. distributed more than 1,400 fliers. In two West Houma neighborhoods, including Vanessa Drive, Shay Drive, Lancaster Drive, Southdown Mandalay Road and New Orleans Boulevard to Wilson Avenue, officers knocked on residents’ doors and dropped off information on how to prevent car burglaries. In an East Houma neighborhood, McKnight Street to the Intracoastal Waterway, they focused on guarding against residential burglaries.
“Residents are loving it,” Chief Duplantis says. “Our goal is to hit the whole city.”
Focusing on More Than Crime
Neighborhood watch members are reporting more than just crimes. For example, residents noticed that large vehicles were occasionally blocking the stop sign at the intersection of Central Avenue and Birch Street, even though they were legally parked. The problem wasn’t in H.P.D.’s jurisdiction nor was it the type of issue traditionally discussed at neighborhood watch meetings. But, members of the Maple Park Neighborhood Association helped bring the issue to Terrebonne Parish’s attention and new signage alerting drivers of an upcoming stop sign has now improved safety.
“We formed a year and a half ago to help stabilize and maintain our neighborhood, including parks, roads, and infrastructure,” Weaver says. “I know I can call anyone in the Houma Police Department with a concern and get a response, from the police chief to the road patrol officer.”
Neighborhood watch groups now discuss a wide range of issues facing their community, including potholes, cars parked in the street, lots with tall grass, and even abandoned properties. Some city council members attend meetings and guest speakers inform citizens about nuisance abatement, city beautification efforts, and who to contact concerning certain issues.
Stewart’s group has also devised a neighborhood-wide alarm system: If a resident hears someone breaking into his home, he will call 911 and someone on the neighborhood watch. That neighborhood watch individual will call other members and they will all activate their house or car alarms to scare off the intruder.
“I remember in the ‘40s and ‘50s when people got out on their porch and visited with neighbors,” Stewart says. “Our society has gotten away from that front-porch mentality. But now people speak to each other more and keep an eye out on what is going on around them...With Neighborhood Watch, you reach people on a very personal level.”
