03.13.2013 neighborhood Meeting minutes

SBNA Meeting Minutes – March 13, 2013 7.00pm – Susan Bailis Center
Over 40 neighbors from St. Botolph and Claremont Park Neighborhood Associations and Friends of Titus Sparrow Park met with Boston Police Department's District 4 Capt. Paul Ivens and Community Liaison Officer Sgt. Geno Provenzano at the Susan Bailis Center. The area covered by District 4 includes the South End, Back Bay (including St. Botolph area), The Fenway, and Lower Roxbury.
The overriding message of the evening was as neighbors, we are the eyes, ears, and voice of our neighborhoods. Captain Paul Ivens and Sgt Geno Provenzano thanked residents for their continued vigilance and participation in making our neighborhoods a better place to live. They urged anyone with even a suspicion of something criminal to dial 911 and talk to the police.

Crime statistics: The good news is that crime is down in D4. Here is a link to a table showing the crime statistics from 2011 compared to 2012. http://www.bpdnews.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/March-19-2013.pdf  You can also click www.bpdnews.com/districts/d-4/ for safety tips, crime reports, text alerts, and more.
Most crimes in our neighborhood are crimes of opportunity. For that reason, we, as residents, need to avoid creating those opportunities. As a reminder:
Home: Lock doors and windows; turn on lights inside and outside at night; keep electronics out of sight from windows; leave a radio on when away; be a good neighbor and bring in mail,
newspapers, left items on the doorsteps of neighbors who are away; report anything suspicious to the police.
Outside: Do not walk with ear buds, or talk on your cell phone or text. Put your cell phone or bb in a safe place when you are outside walking (or in the park) and be alert. Sadly, urban crime reality has crashed the party of modern technology. Carry a whistle and use it if you are feeling unsafe. If someone(s) is following you, turn another direction or duck into a restaurant or store.
Cars: Lock your car; do not leave your keys in the ignition; do not leave your car idling and unattended; remove all personal property in plain view, including cell phones, GPS devices,
laptops, loose change, bags and luggage. (Lots of "don'ts" but all common sense reminders. We were told that a professional thief can steal a laptop from a car in less than 10 seconds.)
NEW: Dial 911 from your cell phone You can now dial 911 from your cell phone and reach the Boston police. Report any suspicious activity to 911 immediately. There need not be an actual crime committed to prompt a call to 911. If something does not look right, it probably isn't. It is always best to give police a heads-up to investigate. More calls to 911 will increase regular police presence in the neighborhood. Please note the details: location, description of the people and clothing, car, direction walking, driving, etc.
Monthly meetings with D4: There is a South End meeting with the D4 police on the last Monday of every month at 6 pm at the D4 station at 650 Harrison Avenue. All St Botolph Street residents are welcome to attend. The next meeting is Monday, March 25th 2013
Home Security: The police will review the security of your house for free and will also conduct a safety walk of your alley. Call the D4 Community Service Office at 617-343-4457 to schedule a time.
Alley Safety: We urge a representative from every street in our neighborhood to contact D4 Community Service Office at 617-343-4457 to arrange for a safety check of their alleys.

More useful numbers:
State Police: Both the State Police and D4 police patrol the Southwest Corridor. To reach the State Police call 617-727-6781.
Anonymous Tips: CrimeStoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS (1-800-494-8477) or by texting the word 'TIP' to CRIME (27463).
Emails: CNA have email lists to keep neighbors informed about criminal and suspicious activity: cnacrimewatch@aol.com Reply all to the crimewatch email to share information on crime and other safety issues. The email is shared with D4 and other neighborhood crimewatch organizations. Residents of Saint Botolph can email Info@stbotolph.org
Regards,
SBNA Board