Category: Monthly Newsletter

January 2017

General Update: Reported crimes for December were higher than previous months which can be attributed to the holiday season. There were 21 total incidents in our neighborhoods with most (17) being thefts from vehicles. A few property thefts, including a bicycle and mail, were also reported. Remember to keep your car doors locked, valuables hidden within (or bet yet removed), and property safely secured within your home. There were no Crime Alerts from the Constables office. Click on the map for more detailed information.

Constable Activity Report – December:
Below is a run down of last month’s Activity Report from the Constable Patrol. Each time the deputy on patrol is called out or observes some activity of interest, he/she documents the call and the report is compiled at the end of the month. It’s a nice way to see what our deputies are up to!

Alarm Local – 2
Abandoned Vehicle – 0
Aggressive Animal – 0
Burglary/Motor Vehicle – 1
Business Check – 1
Contract Check – 119
Criminal Mischief – 0
Discharge of Firearm – 0
Disturbance/ Loud Noise – 1
Information Call – 0
Meet the Citizen – 106
Meet the Officer – 0
Neighborhood Check – 0
Park Check – 28
Property Found/Lost – 1
Solicitors – 3
Special Assign – 0
Suspicious Person – 9
Suspicious Vehicle – 0
Theft – 2
Traffic Hazard – 4
Traffic Stop – 10
Vacation Watch – 187

General Update: Unfortunately, there has been an increase in criminal activity for our neighborhoods in November. HPD reported 4 home break-ins, 2 thefts, and 9 car burglaries. We also received one Crime Alert from the Constable concerning the backyard scams. However, these criminals were captured by our Precinct 1 Constable’s office, which you can read about here. You can click on the map for more detailed information. As noted above in the Crime Tip, this is a very profitable time of the year for burglars so keep your guard up and stay alert.

Constable Activity Report – November: Below is a run down of last month’s Activity Report from the Constable Patrol. Each time the deputy on patrol is called out or observes some activity of interest, he/she documents the call and the report is compiled at the end of the month. It’s a nice way to see what our deputies are up to!

Contract Check – 152
Meet the Citizen – 136
Local Alarm – 9
Burglary/Motor Vehicle – 1
Business Check – 2
Park Check – 16
Disturbance/ Loud Noise – 2
Property Found/Lost – 1
Suspicious Person – 13
Theft – 1
Vacation Watch – 114
Suspicious Vehicle -4
Criminal Mischief – 1
Meet the Officer – 1
Neighborhood Check – 2
Solicitors – 1
Traffic Hazard – 3
Parking Lot Check – 1
Traffic Stop – 2

*Contract Check refers to an observation and/or inquiry at a specific location (think of it as a drive by and safety check of your home). Meet the Citizen means precisely that. One of our patrolling deputies had the chance to engage with a neighbor!

November 2016

General Update: Fortunately, for the month of October, crime was very low for the whole of Montrose as you can see from the Crime Map below. HPD reported only 6 car burglaries in our neighborhoods and we had no Crime Alerts from the Constable this month. You can click on the map for more detailed information. Keep those car doors locked and valuables hidden away!

Constable Activity Report – October:
Below is a run down of last month’s Activity Report from the Constable Patrol. Each time the deputy on patrol is called out or observes some activity of interest, he/she documents the call and the report is compiled at the end of the month. It’s a nice way to see what our deputies are up to!

Contract Check – 115
Meet the Citizen – 126
Aggressive Animal – 1
Local Alarm – 3
Burglary/Motor Vehicle – 1
Business Check – 2
Park Check – 18
Disturbance/ Loud Noise – 2
Property Found/Lost – 1
Suspicious Person – 8
Theft – 2
Vacation Watch – 113
Abandoned Vehicle – 1
Suspicious Vehicle -2
Criminal Mischief – 1
Discharge of Firearm – 1
Information Call – 2
Meet the Officer – 1
Neighborhood Check – 2
Solicitors – 6
Special Assign – 4
Traffic Hazard – 1

*Contract Check refers to an observation and/or inquiry at a specific location (think of it as a drive by and safety check of your home). Meet the Citizen means precisely that. One of our patrolling deputies had the chance to engage with a neighbor!

September 2016

General Update: Crime has been very low again this month. HPD reported only 2 auto burglaries and 1 theft. We received a Constable’s Alert concerning stolen packages from the 1500 block of Kipling which was a result of identity theft. Though the Constable Patrol has brought down crime in our neighborhoods in a dramatic fashion, we must each do our part and take all practical steps to avoid becoming a crime victim.

Below is a run down of September’s Activity Report from the Constable Patrol. Each time the deputy on patrol is called out or observes some activity of interest, he/she documents the call and the report is compiled at the end of the month. It’s a nice way to see what our deputies are up to.

*Contract Check – 405
*Meet the Citizen – 35
Accident – 2
Local Alarm – 7
Business Check – 2
Park Check – 20
School Check – 6
Disturbance/ Loud Noise – 4
Drug/OD/Possession – 1
Property Found/Lost – 1
Suspicious Person Call – 14
Theft – 1
Traffic Stop – 9
Vacation Watch – 149
Abandoned Vehicle – 5
Suspicious Vehicle – 5

*Contract Check refers to an observation and/or inquiry at a specific location (think of it as a drive by and safety check of your home). Meet the Citizen means precisely that.  One of our patrolling deputies had the chance to engage with a neighbor!

August 2016 Update

General Update: Crime has been low again this month with few home or vehicle burglaries to speak of.  In fact, our neighborhoods have seen a dramatic drop in crime generally with some astounding year-over-year statistics.  For the first six months of 2016:

• Violent crime is down 100%
• Auto theft is down 88%
• Burglary is down 61%
• Theft is down 95%
• Robbery is down 86%

 

A Note From Constable Rosen: The neighborhood crime that our patrol deputies come across most frequently is the nighttime burglary of parked cars and trucks. In the dark, crooks pull on door handles to see which ones are unlocked. Or they bash through vehicle windows using a heavy tool such as a tire iron. Once inside, they grab cash, coins and wallets, or anything re-sellable such as laptop computers, cell phones, jewelry, athletic equipment and other items.

But there are ways to drastically reduce the chance that your vehicle is the next target. Some of the actions are so simple that you might think every vehicle owner does them. But you’d be surprised how many people don’t. Locking your doors may cause a criminal to sneak to the next car or truck in the search for something easier to steal. Park in a well-lit area, whether that’s your driveway or on the street. Crooks would rather work in the shadows or darkness. When you are not in your vehicle, hide valuables in the trunk or remove them. A purse, phone, coat, briefcase or ring left in plain sight makes your car or truck a lure for the bad guys. They want to commit a crime of opportunity. You want to remove the opportunity. These steps cost nothing.

Vehicle alarm systems, driveway gates and easily-noticed residential security cameras can all reduce these common crimes. Also, there are kits that truck owners can buy to make their vehicle tailgates much harder to remove. Many rims and hubcaps can be locked, too. Of course, Precinct 1 deputies will continue to be on the lookout for anyone “casing” neighborhoods in search of the cars that are easiest to enter. We always need your help with this vigilance. If you see suspicious activity, call our dispatch line, 713-755-7628 to let us know.

 

Security Tips: The constable patrol is most effective when we all take common sense steps to deter crime:

• Activate your security system at all times, and connect it directly to the Constable Dispatch (you must call your alarm company and have their responding agency listed as Harris County Constable Precinct One at 713-755-7628).
• Report crime and suspicious activity to the constable’s office at 713-755-7628. Make sure to mention that you are calling from a “contract neighborhood.” (For emergencies in progress, dial 911).
• Take down license plate numbers or take a cell phone photo of suspicious cars or people you notice around the neighborhood.
• Go to the website and sign-up for security alerts.
• Lock your garage and car.
• Do not leave items in car.
• Never disclose Constable Patrol hours of operation via online social networks (like Facebook or Nextdoor). We are disadvantaged if potential criminals are aware of our vulnerabilities.