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Love Thy Neighbor Partnering with city officials and local police is just one part of the equation in combating urban crime. Brooks, Meckling, Greiner and Humphrey all agree that neighbors also must partner with each other. “The neighborhood association is the foundation of everything a neighborhood can accomplish,” Meckling says. “The answer for crimeplagued neighborhoods is to bond together and get organized. From that foundation, neighbors can create whatever structure suits their needs. Many people have a misconception about neighborhood associations, thinking they are all about creating rules and restrictions. In fact, the organization can be anything you want and can take many unique forms. It’s all about reaching out, connecting, and being, well, neighborly.” “Many of our neighborhoods are very organized, which is a key in preventing crime,” says Greiner. “They have set up neighborhood associations, watches and patrols, which all deter crime (or at least move crime to another area).
“My goal is to encourage all of the neighborhoods in Ward 1 to get involved in their neighborhoods because they can and will make a difference,” he says. “Too often, we feel like we can’t do anything, and I want to change that mentality. If we change this mentality, private developers and nonprofit organizations will more likely want to come into a deteriorated area and invest their time and money to improve it. I believe this is where real change will come from, not from government.” Meckling says that a sense of community is the key. “Our crime-watch training encourages neighbors to get to know one another not only for the intangible benefits of social connectedness, but also because it is a huge tool in crime prevention,” she says. “Knowing who belongs in your neighborhood is key to being able to spot, report and share suspicious activity.” She gives the example of Oklahoma City’s historic Putnam Heights neighborhood, which suffered a rash of burglaries until a resident spotted the offender and shared the description with both neighbors and police. The individual was quickly apprehended and convicted. “Neighborhoods can think of their social network as a secret weapon against crime – it really works,” Meckling says.
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Making a Better Place Brooks agrees that being familiar with neighbors and the neighborhood is essential, especially when it comes to recognizing someone or something that doesn’t belong. In addition, he says, “If you see something suspicious, say
something. Report it to the police. Don’t get involved; just be a good witness by noting cars and individual descriptions. “If you don’t have an Alert Neighbor program, get one started,” he also recommends. “By working with the police, you can improve safety and crime-prevention by becoming educated on crime-prevention tactics, such as environmental design and lighting to deter crime.” Last but not least, he says avoid becoming a victim; take all precautions in protecting your home, family and belongings. “Communication is key for neighborhoods,” Brooks says. “Talk to neighbors on a regular basis. Set up an email network for the neighborhood so you can quickly alert others. It takes a team effort to protect a community.” Meckling says that the Neighborhood Alliance is a resource for numerous programs for helping citizens organize to protect and improve their neighborhoods. “The Neighborhood Alliance offers workshops and one-on-one assistance to help neighborhoods organize, be an effective organization, learn how to be capable neighborhood leaders and raise funds for neighborhood-led projects,” she says. “There is a lot of information on our website about associations and the tools for making yours a better one. We can help with incorporating, writing bylaws and getting crime reports. We’ll even come out to your neighborhood meeting to give crime-watch training. “Making your neighborhood a better place doesn’t have to be a monumental effort,” Meckling says. “You just need to care and be willing to make some friends.”
major Jonathan Brooks stands in front of the Fairmont Terrace apartments, where earlier this year, four women were murdered.
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Oklahoma Magazine | JULY 2013
PHOTO BY CASEY HANSON.
large city and continues to grow,” Humphrey says. “Because of this, we are experiencing our share of crime like other cities in the nation. However, I truly believe the growth in our citizen involvement, and the resources provided to our department with the passing of the public safety sales tax in 2008, help us address many of our major crime issues in the city. “I am so proud of our citizens because they have truly embraced community-oriented policing,” he says.