News and Notes
Citizen’s Police Academy
UPDATE: I have been informed that this class is now full. The next class will begin in June, so go ahead and contact Sgt. Claxton to register for that class.
The first class of the Citizen’s Police Academy is forming
now and will run from March 23 – May 11, 2016. The program is designed to support the department’s mission
of building partnerships with the community. It is an eight week experience
held once per week, providing citizens with insight into the department and an
opportunity to experience highlights of basic law enforcement training.
The Atlanta Citizen’s Police Academy is a great opportunity
for citizens to become empowered to assist the police in transforming their
communities. I participated in this program in 2009 and many others in the
neighborhood have as well. I can tell you that the experience will change your
perception of the Atlanta Police Department and law enforcement in general. For
more information contact Sgt. Claxton at fclaxton@atlantaga.gov.
Neighborhood Watch
Virginia-Highland is recognized throughout the city and
beyond for the exceptional neighborhood watch program we have developed. Unlike
such programs in other areas, the focus here is on helping neighbors to get to
know each other, and to look out for each other. At the current time we have
over 100 street captains who share information with neighbors. This person is
your closest resource to learn what is happening on your street and how you can
make your home and family safer. If you do not know who your street captain is,
send an email to Eleanor Barrineau at ebarrsafety@gmail.com
with your name and street address so that you can be connected.
Also we still have a few streets without captains, and a few
captains who could use a co-captain. Captains are needed for the following streets: Ponce de Leon Place,
portions of Barnett, Monroe Drive, Virginia (section between Rosedale Rd and
Briarcliff), Brookridge (section between Los Angeles and Elkmont). If you are interested, please email Eleanor at the
address above and she will send you more information.
Even if your street already has a captain, we need your help! There are some important safety initiatives coming up, including improving house numbers, lighting, and additional security cameras. Streets or blocks can work on together on these projects, and we need some folks willing to help organize these efforts. Please let Eleanor know at the email address above if you can assist your captain.
Even if your street already has a captain, we need your help! There are some important safety initiatives coming up, including improving house numbers, lighting, and additional security cameras. Streets or blocks can work on together on these projects, and we need some folks willing to help organize these efforts. Please let Eleanor know at the email address above if you can assist your captain.
Ongoing Neighborhood Clean-up
The Keep Virginia Highland Beautiful team is working on a
neighborhood-wide clean-up during the month of May. Stay tuned for details. In
addition, please feel free to help keep the neighborhood looking good on a
regular basis.
If you are out walking and see flyers posted on telephone poles
and anywhere in the public right-of-way please remove them and place them in a
trash receptacle. Posting of such advertisements is not permitted by city code
because over time such flyers become litter and make the neighborhood look
trashy. You can also carry a grocery bag with you to pick up bottles and cans
that have been discarded on sidewalks and in parks. Take them home and toss
them in your own recycling bin.
If customers tend to smoke outside in front of
your business and leave butts on the ground, take a few minutes each day to
remove them. Virginia-Highland is seeing significant competition of new
entertainment districts in Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, West Midtown, etc. so
we need to make our commercial districts as inviting to visitors as we can.
Community Meeting with LifeLine Animal Project
Virginia-Highland is a dog and cat loving community. Almost
daily we hear about or are directly involved with cats and dogs that need help
or are lost. This is a serious safety issue for the animals, but also for the
residents and businesses who try to help. With LifeLine Animal Project now
operating Fulton County Animal Services and committed to make Atlanta a no-kill
city, we want to learn more about how we can all work together. The meeting
will be held on Wednesday April 20th. Find more information here. http://vahi.org/lets-talk-a-community-meeting-with-lifeline-animal-project/
Neighborhood Traffic
This week the intersection of Barnett and Virginia Circle
was upgraded from a two-way to a four-way stop. In addition to making everyone
aware of this change, it is a good time to mention how important it is to come
to a full stop at all stop lights, stop signs, for pedestrians, etc. If you are
one of those who commonly uses a rolling stop, be aware that you can (and
should) be ticketed for this practice.
What is the difference between a full
stop and a rolling stop? A rolling stop is a term used in traffic law to refer
to the failure of a vehicle to come to a complete stop. In a complete stop
there is no forward momentum and the needle on the speedometer is at 0. In a
rolling stop, the car wheels are still in motion and the car is moving at
something less than 5 mph.
When I took driver’s education in high school our
instructor described the full stop as that point when inertia was no longer
trying to pull your body forward and your torso relaxed back against the seat.
A rolling stop works fine for a yield sign, but for a stop sign, the extra few
seconds required for a full stop are the way to go – not only to avoid a
ticket, but to ensure that you don’t miss that other vehicle that comes “out of
nowhere”.
Jack Boy Robert Veal to be Re-Sentenced
Those who lived in Virginia-Highland in the fall of 2010
cannot forget the horrific crime spree of Tamario Wise, Robert Veal and the
rest of their gang. Their crimes culminated in the murder of Charles Boyer here
in Virginia-Highland and the rape of a woman in Grant Park. Mr. Veal was
sentenced to life without parole despite the fact that at the time of these
crimes he was six months shy of his 18th birthday.
Yesterday we
learned that the State Supreme Court allowed the verdicts to stand, but sent
the case back to the lower court for reconsideration of the sentence. Read
about that decision here http://news.wabe.org/post/ga-supreme-court-tosses-convicted-juvenile-s-life-sentence.
For more information on the original case as the roles of Wise and Veal here. http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/jack-boys-leader-gets-15-life-sentences-plus-290-y/nS6gJ/
Virginia-Highland neighborhood watch has requested that the sentence hearing be
CourtWatched. More information about opportunities to share your concerns will
be shared as it becomes available.
Crime Statistics
The following information is taken from our
APD Zone 6 report (http://atlantapd.org/Zone6.aspx).
It includes information from the Virginia-Highland Beat
601 reported incidents along with relevant reports from other
nearby beats. Keep in mind that not all incidents are reported. A map showing
the location of beats 601 – 612 within Zone 6 can be found at this link http://boundaries.atlantapd.org/Map-Zone6-Beats.aspx.
This information is not shared to scare anyone, but to let you know what
happens around us every day so you can be alert and aware.
Homicide None
reported in Beat 601 and none in Zone Six
Rape None
reported in Beat 601 and one in Zone Six
Pedestrian/Carjacking
Robbery Three reported in Beat 601 and nine in Zone Six
On February 21st the victims were walking on
Greenwood Ave. were confronted by three black males with handguns. They gave up
phones, cash, credit cards and house keys but were otherwise unharmed.
On February 23rd in a condominium parking area on
Virginia two black males attempted to rob a woman at gunpoint. She was able to
convince them that police were around the corner and the suspects fled. Neither
the police nor the victim recommend trying to talk an armed assailant out of
robbing you, but in this case, it worked out.
ARREST: On
February 27th the victims left club MJQ and headed north on Ponce
Place. At St. Charles Ave they passed the suspect vehicle. The two suspects
exited and approached, one holding a shotgun and one holding a pellet gun
(presumed to be real at the time). They demanded the victim’s belongings which
included $175 in cash. One victim walked to a passing car hoping to scare the
suspects away. Instead the passing car pulled off and the suspect pistol
whipped the first victim in the eye.
This case was related to a robbery in Zone 5. By tracking a
stolen cell phone the suspects were located in the same vehicle and detained.
The shotgun also turns out to have been stolen in Arkansas. Marquis Tyrese
Bolton was charged with armed robbery and Tyler Jaylen Bivens was charged with
Aggravated Assault and Armed Robbery.
Residential
Robbery None reported in Beat 601 and two in Zone Six
Commercial Robbery
None reported in Beat 601 and one in Zone Six
Aggravated Assault One
reported in Beat 601 and nine in Zone Six
On February 22nd at the Presbyterian Church on
Ponce two individuals had an argument. The next day one of the individuals
pepper sprayed the other in the face.
Residential
Burglary One reported in Beat 601 and twenty-three in Zone six
On February 11th copper wire was stolen from an
electrical panel under construction.
Commercial
Burglary None reported in Beat 601 and five in Zone six
Larceny from
Vehicle Fifteen reported in Beat 601 and eighty-nine in Zone six
Vehicles were entered on Amsterdam, Clemont, Drewry, Highland
View, N Highland, Ponce de Leon, Rosedale Drive, Rosedale Road, and Virginia
Ave. Two incidents (Drewry, and Rosedale Road) the tires and wheels were stolen
from the vehicles. Entry was made via broken windows, punched locks, and
unlocked doors (three cases). Taken were camera equipment, cash, cell phones, laptops
and tablets, wallet and ID, passports, an XBOX, luggage and clothing, handbags
and prescription medication. Once again a handgun was stolen this time a Ruger
.380.
Other Larcenies One
reported in Beat 601 and thirty-seven in Zone six
On February 24th someone stole a bird bath from
the back yard of a residence on Hudson Dr.
Auto Theft
One reported in Beat 601 and thirty in Zone six
On February 22nd a vehicle was stolen from the
street on N. Highland between Los Angeles and Glen Arden.
If this report was forwarded to you and you would like to be
added to the distribution, please send a message to me at VaHiSafety@gmail.com with your name,
email address, and affiliation. Thanks.
Stay Safe!
Kay Stephenson
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