Just register to receive text messages on your cell phone and/or e-mails on your computer.  If you haven’t already done so, visit the Nixle webpage and sign up for the service today.

An official Census Taker must present an ID Badge with the US Department of Commerce logo, their name, and expiration date. Census Takers will also provide a driver’s license or photo identification, if asked. Census Takers may also be carrying a black canvass bag with the US Department of Commerce logo. They will also provide their supervisor’s contact information and/or local Census Office phone number for verification, if asked. Census Takers will only ask questions appearing on the official 2010 Census Form.

Census Takers will not ask to come into a resident’s home; will not ask for social security numbers, bank account numbers, or credit card numbers; will not ask any information about your taxes or income; and will not solicit donations or contact you by email.

Census answers are confidential and protected by federal law. Census Bureau employees have taken an oath and are subject to 5 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine if they disclose any information that could identify you or your household. Answers will only be used for statisitical purposes. The Census is an actual count of everyone living in the United States . Census Data is used to allocate congressional seats to the states and to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to state and local governments each year.

After a very successful Fall 2009 class, a Spring 2010 Citizens Academy will begin on March 10.

The Citizens Academy provides an opportunity for St. Louisans to learn the ins and outs of the Metropolitan Police Department. The more citizens understand the difficult jobs you do day in and day out, the better equipped they are to help you as you aim to help the community. Many graduates of the Fall class talked about just how eye-opening the Citizens Academy was, with one citizen saying after the graduation ceremony, “I wish everybody could take this class. It would make people think a lot differently about what police do.”

The course will run for 12 weeks (March 10-May 26), meeting Wednesday nights, from 6pm-9pm at the Police Academy.

A variety of commissioned officers will teach most of the blocks of instruction with a few blocks being taught by civilian employees as well. In addition to lectures, citizens will see active demonstrations and participate in role-playing and simulations.

To be eligible to participate, applicants must:

* Be city residents or business owners
* Be at least 18 years old
* Have no active warrants
* Agree to have a records check performed by the Department

Applications can be found on the Intranet by going to the Public Information page and then clicking on “Public Information Forms.”

Applications MUST be received by February 10.
Applications should be returned to Sgt. Catherine Dennis, room 313 of Headquarters.
Original documents are required to be submitted by mail or in person. Emailed applications will not be accepted.
There are only 30 slots available. Citizens should submit applications as soon as possible.

Questions may also be sent to citizensacademy@slmpd.org

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Erica S. Van Ross
Director of Public Information
Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis
1200 Clark Avenue, Room 611
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-444-5603
314-444-5684 (fax)
esvanross@slmpd.org

Officer Bottini will introduce Officer Mark O’Brien, a longtime veteran of the SLMPD, at the next DWNA monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 2010. Officer O’Brien will replace Officer Bottini effective January 25, 2010.

The bill is “An Ordinance authorizing and directing the Director of Public Safety, on behalf of the Mayor and the City of St. Louis, to enter into and execute a Grant Agreement with the U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, to fund the Justice Assistance Grant Program, upon approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and to expend funds by entering into contracts or otherwise for grant purposes and containing an emergency clause.”

You can read more about the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) here.

Police Officer Thomas J Bottini, DSN 1839
Community Outreach Officer, District One
314-444-0176

As many of you know, we recently suspended the ridealong program while changes were made to the policies and procedures. The program is now up and running. Here is an overview of the process:

Citizens who wish to do a ridealong with the Department must:

-Provide proof that they are 18 years or older (exceptions will be made for members of the Police Explorers program with permission from a parent/guardian)

-Provide proof that they are a city resident or city business owner or be a prospective police officer who has reached the eligibility list phase of the application process

-Have no criminal record other than minor traffic offenses and provide a records check as proof

The Chief of Police has the discretion to approve participation in the program for anyone not meeting the above criteria.

All forms regarding the process are available on the Intranet under Forms and are also available on the Public Information page of the Intranet by clicking on “Public Information Forms.”  They are also attached for your convenience if needed.

Citizens must complete the following forms:

-MPD Form PAD-26, the Citizen Rider/Observer Application

-MPD Form PAD-26A, the Waiver, Release of Claim, Indemnity and Rules of Participation form

-MPD Form PAD-26B, the Medical Care Waiver

-If the citizen is a minor their parent/guardian will have to complete additional forms PAD-26(B), 26(C) and 31(B)

Once forms are completed, originals should be sent to the Public Information Division for verification.  We will use a checklist to ensure that the application is complete and correct.  Public Information will then forward the forms to the Bureau of Community Policing for approval or disapproval.  If disapproved, the forms are forwarded back to Public Information and we will notify the citizen.  If approved, the forms will be forwarded by the Bureau of Community Policing to the attention of the Captain for the District in which the citizen has asked to ridealong.  The District should then contact the citizen to schedule the ride.

Ridealongs are permitted:

-Sunday-Thursday ONLY

-Day Watch or Afternoon Watch ONLY

-With Patrol Officers ONLY (NO specialized units)

Once the ride is completed, the Officer who conducts the ridealong will indicate on the citizen’s application form that the ride was completed and make a recommendation as to whether the citizen should be allowed to participate in a ridealong in the future.  The original application form should then be forwarded to Public Information.

There are quite a few changes to the process but we hope the additional checks and balances ensure that our officers are safe at all times and that citizens who are riding in our patrol vehicles have been properly screened.

Click here to download ridealong form.

Click Image For Source

We have been experiencing a rash of “Stolen Pickups Trucks” since the first of the month, nearly a dozen and mostly Dodge Ram trucks.

Remember a vehicle Club only cost $11.00 and it is definitely another crime prevention deterrent to car thieves.

You can get a club from any NSO or by stopping by the Dutchtown South Community Corporation. 4200 Virginia @ Meramec between 9-3 call ahead for availability: 314-352-4865

Click Image For Source

The weather is starting to cool off and before you know it winter will be upon us.  Last year we had a rash of stolen cars in the 2nd district due to people warming their cars and leaving them unattended with the engine running and the keys still in the ignition.  Please remember not to leave your vehicle unattended while warming it up or leaving the engine running while getting gas, turn the engine off and take the keys with you.  Burglaries in our district continue to be a problem however we have had a slight decrease.  This decrease is not enough; we still need your help with looking out for your neighbors when they are at work and calling 911 for suspicious people in your neighborhood.

The last three weeks we have interrupted several burglaries in which a stolen dodge caravan was used along with a black Grand AM, and a Black Monte Carlo being driven by  Three to four black males one being heavy-set and one with shoulder length dread locks.  The other two have short afros.  The ages range from 19 to early twenties.  If you see anyone in your neighborhood matching these descriptions and acting suspiciously don’t hesitate to call 911. They are knocking on front and rear doors and if no one answers they kick in the door and grab the items of choice they want.  We have not been able to get their vehicles stopped due to them driving dangerously during their escape.  Again due not hesitate to call 911, if we can catch these individuals before they get to their cars, it would increase our chances of being successful.

Click on Image for Source

We are looking to have a Block Captain on every block of our neighborhood to help keep an eye on what is going on in your area (crime, problem properties, etc.), serve as a resource for neighborhood information, and enhance the lines of communication with neighbors on your block.

To see a list of all blocks in our neighborhood, the current list of Block Captains, and to volunteer to serve as a Block Captain, please CLICK HERE!

SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center has issued a warning to St. Louis residents of a fraudulent “book fundraiser.” Criminals posing as door-to-door salespeople have recently approached residents of Clayton, Ladue, Florissant and South County. These con artists claim to represent Cardinal Glennon and maintain that all proceeds from books sold fund the medical treatment of autistic children, even emphasizing that the money reaches the children more quickly if the homeowner pays for the books in cash.

As Cardinal Glennon spokesperson Fran Wulfers told authorities, the hospital never conducts door-to-door fundraising activities nor does it ever ask explicitly for cash donations. Even more troubling, victims of this scam who request receipts report that the documents are issued by a Phoenix, Arizona company called Prestige Sales.

In order to avoid this and similar scams, remember the following:
1. Never open your door to a stranger.
2. Be wary of charities or service people asking for cash. This could be a ploy to determine you keep cash in the home, and could result in a home invasion robbery.
3. Before donating, always check the validity of a charity by calling the Better Business Bureau (314-645-3300) or the Missouri Attorney General (800-392-8222) “Check a Charity” programs.

Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
www.circuitattorney.org

The St. Louis Fire Department and the St. Louis First District Police Captain came out to support the neighborhood. Consider hosting a block party for National Night Out 2010!

View Larger Map

Click here to see a copy of the public nuisance letter sent to the property owner: 3935 S Grand LLC, 23 Salem Estates Dr., St. Louis, MO 63124.

A public nuisance hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 9:30am, in the Carnahan Building, 1114 Market Street, Room 104, St. Louis, MO 63101.

If you would like to attend the hearing to testify, or would like to give any information regarding this property, please contact Rich Sykora, Problem Property Attorney, St. Louis City Counselor’s Office, at 314-657-1310.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Citizens Academy

To view the FLYER that was sent out, click here. To download an application, click here.

To be eligible to participate, citizens must:
-be 18 years or older
-be city of St. Louis residents OR city of St. Louis business owners
-have no outstanding warrants
-agree to a record check
-have no prior offenses aside from minor traffic infractions

Among the topics that citizens will learn about during the 10 week course:
-History of the department
-Structure of the department
-Community Policing
-How 911 works
-Importance of Crime Analysis
-Problem Properties
-Community Outreach Efforts
-Bike Patrols/Footbeats/Vehicle Patrols
-Canine
-Bomb & Arson
-Juvenile
-Sex Crimes, Child Abuse & DART
-Cybercrimes
-ETU
-Homicide Investigations
-Traffic Safety
-Gangs
-Mobile Reserve
-Internal Affairs
-The Police Academy Experience

This is not just a classroom experience, it’s interactive. Among the activities citizens will participate in:

-Tour of headquarters and the library
-Write a police report based on a fictional scenario
-Tour of Communications
-Canine Demo
-Bomb & Arson Robot Demo
-ETU presentation (to show them that CSI is just a television show)
-FATS
-Driving Simulator
-TASER Demo
-Role playing (various scenarios)
-1 ridealong

Completed applications must be mailed in or dropped off in person only. An electronic/faxed version won’t work as we need an authentic signature since record checks will be performed. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Erica S. Van Ross
Director of Public Information
Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis
1200 Clark Avenue, Room 611
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-444-5603
314-444-5684 (fax)
esvanross@slmpd.org

Officer Thomas Bottini and Chris Wintrode

Officer Bottini can be reached at 314-444-0176 or tjbottini@slmpd.org

The CSB has created a handy guide and picture that helps describe what they do and when to contact them. View the image below or click here to view their handout.

When to call the Citizens' Service Bureau (622-4800)

CLICK HERE FOR SAFETY TIPS PROVIDED BY SLMPD

The First Bureau is investigating a series of incidents wherein the suspect is gaining entrance into the elderly victims’ home under the guise he is employed by Laclede Gas. The suspect then demands currency from the victims under threat of having their gas service shut off. In some of the incidents the suspect has become agitated with the victims and has grabbed them. No weapon has been indicated.
The incidents, which have occurred on 7/22 and 7/26 between the hours of 1430 and 1900, are primarly in the Dutchtown neighborhood with one also taking place in the Tower Grove South area.

The suspect is generally described as follows:
Black Male 30-55 years old
Light complexion (suspect also described as bi-racial with Asian features)
5’10-6’0
185-215 lbs (stocky build with broad shoulders)
short black hair
clean shaven

In most incidents the suspect is seen wearing khaki dress pants, a white horizontal striped button down dress shirt, and dress shoes. One victim specifically remembers the suspect wearing eyeglasses. In the first incident from 7/22, the suspect was described as wearing dark knee length shorts, a t-shirt (unknown color), and a brown baseball cap. The suspect usually indicates he has a vehicle parked in the rear of the residences however none have been seen.

Anyone knowing of a subject fitting this description or investigating incidents of a similar nature is asked to contact the First Bureau at extensions 0158 or 0150.

Thanking you in advance,
S. Ecker 3872
M. Pratt 6475
Det. Scott W. Ecker DSN 3872
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
First District Detective Bureau
3157 Sublette
St. Louis, Missouri 63139
314-444-0158
314-444-0191 fax

I have a success story to share with you. You can cross 3631 Alberta off the issues list.

After putting up with the occupants for almost a year, police arrested a 41 yr old, 26 and 29 yr. old men on drug charges on June 16th, 2009. Sorry to say I was at the Muny and missed all the excitement.

We were told by our NSO Judy Lane and problem property officer Ed Reese that they had till July 3rd to get out. When they were not out by this date I figured it might be because of the Fourth of July weekend. On Monday I got on the phone and called everyone I could think of to help us with this problem. First I called the two aforementioned. I also called Captain Spiess and City Inspector Brian Alcaraz who gave me the name of the inspector to call for the 15th ward. Capt. Spiess assigned a Sgt. to the case, he visited the house and found out from the inspector they were given till the 11th to get out. The inspector explained to me why he did that; so they could not appeal which sometimes takes two to three weeks and then they are sometimes given another two to three months to get out. I told him, no we couldn’t stand it that long, they were driving us all crazy. He told them they were to remain invisible until that date and one more thing and they would be out right now. Evidentally he saw “one more thing “ and on Tuesday, the very next day, he and a policeman visited again and told them they had to be out by 5:00 p.m. The biggest thing either neighbors or I saw carried out was a big TV. A Rent-a Center truck pulled up but went around to the alley, we don’t know what they removed, if anything. I was told the house is still full of furniture. The next day the house was condemned and boarded up.

You cannot believe how peaceful it has been. It took a long time, but we never gave up and in the end we were successful. Later I called all who helped us and thanked them.

~Pat Sullivan

Please remember to be diligent about calling and reporting problems in our neighborhood so that they can be addressed right away. Visit the “contact” page for the contact information for the Citizen Service Bureau, Neighborhood Stabilization Officer, Police Department, and Alderman.

National Night Out is designed to:

• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
• Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs;
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
• Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Along with the traditional display of outdoor lights and front porch vigils, cities, towns and neighborhoods ‘celebrate’ NNO with a variety of events and activities such as:

• block parties,
• cookouts,
• visits from local police and sheriff departments
• parades, exhibits,
• flashlight walks,
• contests, and
• youth programs.

You can register your block online at: http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/nst/nnomain.htm, but hurry, the last day to register is Friday, July 24, 2009.

*Click on image to view image source

To view a current list of all block captains in the DWNA area or to volunteer to serve as a Block Captain for your block, please click here.