Notes from Neighborhood Watch by Pat Taylor

March 18, 2002

Notes from Neighborhood Watch

by Pat Taylor

I have checked with the Community Police Officer at the Reston Station who told me that there have not been any significant security problems in our cluster for the last six months. We all hope it stays that way.

All are welcome to take a tour of the Fairfax County Public Safety Communications Center on Friday, April 15th, from 10am to 4pm. You can look behind the scenes and meet the people who handle your 911 and non-emergency calls. The center is at 3900 Woodburn Road, Fairfax. For additional information, call Ms. Donna Jenkins, 703-280-0509.

At a recent Neighborhood Watch meeting, officers from the county police presented a program entitled "Refuse to be a Victim." I have a very detailed handbook available as well as several pamphlets summarizing the information. I also have pamphlets on courses offered on Rape Aggression Defense, on home security, and on security tips for your home and business. Please contact me at 437-7609 if you would like to have copies of any of these documents. There is also a Home Guide to Emergency Preparedness that offers information and resources to help plan for most emergency situations. It is available at all local libraries.

A recent session of Neighborhood Watch addressed problems and strategies for dealing with our local critters, specifically: deer, geese, raccoons, beavers, crows, coyotes, and snakes. There is also an anti-rabies program available in the county that provides fish meal blocks treated with rabies vaccine that is effective with raccoons. I can provide additional information if you are interested.

Anyone interested in joining the Homeland Security effort should be aware of the following programs:

The Auxiliary Police Officer program provides volunteers (who are uniformed and sworn) many avenues to participate in safeguarding communities while maintaining civilian careers.
Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) is a non-sworn, non-uniformed program that allows citizens to provide assistance and support at the local station or department-wide.