Don’t you just love the fall? The nights are getting cooler which means we can turn the air conditioner off and crack the windows. If you chose to do this please do not leave them up when you are at work and never open the windows on the first floor, you are only inviting trouble. Unfortunately, we have to always think defensively.
The same crimes are still plaguing our Sector. During the month of September we had 29 thefts from motor vehicles in Jackson Ward and Monroe Ward. The items being stolen are still electronic equipment,(GPS, iPods, laptops). If anyone sees or hears of these types of items being sold on the street, call me so I can forward that information to a Detective.
There were 8 robberies to individuals in Sector 413 last month. Three were cleared with arrests. There were also 2 aggravated assaults in Sector 413; an arrest was made on one of them.
Here is a breakdown on the crimes reported:
VIOLENT CRIME:
8 Robberies
100 W. Franklin Street, 9-5-09, unknown b/m robbed at this location of money.
16 E. Grace Street, 9-8-09, unknown b/m attempted to rob the victim of his money.
100 S. Cherry Street, 9-11-09, 3 unknown b/m suspects robbed 3 victims. ARRESTED: Jayquan Perry, 6/22/90; Brian Walker,12/19/90; Dennis Loney, 8/21/86
800 E. Marshall Street, 9-13-09, 3 unknown 2 b/f, 1 b/m suspects robbed the victim.
100 E. Leigh Street, 9-14-09, unknown b-m robbed the victims of money.
800 Cumberland Street, 9-19-09, 3 unknown suspects robbed the victim of his wallet. ARRESTED: Jayquan Perry, 6/22/90; Brian Walker,12/19/90; Dennis Loney, 8/21/86
100 E. Leigh Street, 9-24-09, unknown b/m stole money from victim.
0100 N. 4th Street, 9-26-09, 5 unknown b-m’s robbed 3 victims of money. ARRESTED: Roger August, 6/29/67; Delroy Dixon, 8/5/87, Everett Evans, 8/23/87; Roy Battle, 7/13/89; Lamine Ndour, 8/15/85.
2 Aggravated Assaults-
312 W. Grace Street, 9-9-09, Individual assaulted by a known party- ARREST MADE
15 N. 5th Street, 9-27-09, a male was shot in the 00 block of 5th Street. Result of a fight inside of the “Cotton Club”.
PROPERTY CRIMES
As I already mentioned there were 29 thefts from motor vehicles in Sector 413 with the majority being in the Jackson Ward and Monroe Ward neighborhoods. The police will continue to patrol and monitor these areas but we need your help by securing valuables in the trunk and locking all doors.
October 24, 2009, is clean up day in the Jackson Ward neighborhood, come out and support this good cause!
If interested, the Richmond Police Department has an account on FACEBOOK and we are interested in your comments.
Please continue to report suspicious persons or activities to the police as soon as possible. The non emergency number is 646-5100.
During the month of September, Sector 413 officers answered 1769 radio calls and conducted 154 field interviews.
I want to thank the officers, detectives and community for their continued support in combating the crime in Sector 413.
Sincerely,
Lt. Yvonne Baltz– Fourth Precinct – Sector 413 – (o) 646-4239

Also, you can get to the newsletter from links on this page:
http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/police/fields/4thPrecinct/S413.aspx

Richmond Police Department press release:

For Immediate Release

News Release
RPD Taking Crime Prevention to New Heights

Sept. 24, 2009
The Richmond Police Department has seized the opportunity to lift its crime prevention efforts by using confiscated funds to purchase the SkyWatch mobile surveillance tower.

SkyWatch is a mobile trailer and cabin that can be deployed to any area of the city. One to four officers can staff the cabin that, when positioned, can be raised 25 feet to allow the officers excellent surveillance opportunities.

The Department used captured property and currency from drug trafficking cases for the purchase.

The unit is equipped with tinted glass, video cameras with recording devices, flood lights, and a loudspeaker system. It is heated and air-conditioned and has a generator that can allow it to operate uninterrupted for several days.

It will be deployed at festivals, popular dining areas on weekend evenings and other events where large groups gather such as the Monument 10K and New Year’s Eve.

“The SkyWatch designers assure us that when this tower goes up, crime goes down,” Major John Venuti said. “As the special events in Richmond continue to grow in popularity each year, the Department is always looking for ways to help large groups stay safe and have a good time. And with SkyWatch’s 360 degree view, cameras and recorders, this tower will send a message to criminals: We are watching.”

The Department is offering the media a preview of SkyWatch and its features tomorrow, 3 to 4 p.m., at the City Garage, 2901 N. Boulevard.

The Times Dispatch reports:

Recent tests found high levels of toxic chemicals called PCBs in the James River and some tributaries between Richmond and Hopewell.

In some cases, levels of the chemicals were hundreds of times higher than the state limit, state officials said.

The PCBs pose a threat to fish but not people, unless people eat contaminated fish, said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality.

For Immediate Release

News Release
Richmond Police Recruiting for Citizen Academy

Sept. 16, 2009
If you have ever wondered what it takes to become a Richmond Police officer or how the Richmond Police Department operates, now is your chance to find out.

Richmond Police will offer an eight-week Citizen Police Academy for those interested in learning about the Richmond Police Department’s personnel, goals, community policing strategies and law enforcement-related topics.

There will be seven, two-hour classes held every Thursday, beginning Oct. 1 through Nov. 19. Classes will be held 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Richmond Police Training Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road. The academy concludes the eighth week with a graduation ceremony.

The Citizen Police Academy instruction will cover different areas of the Department provided by expert guest instructors from area law enforcement agencies as well as certified police officers. The courses are diverse and range from the Department’s organizational structure to forensics, criminal investigation, narcotics and firearms.

Anyone who lives or works in Richmond can attend the academy. You must be at least 18 years old with no felony convictions. Misdemeanor convictions will be reviewed and considered by Chief Bryan T. Norwood. The deadline to register for the academy is Tuesday, Sept. 29. Space is limited.

“The best way our citizens can help us help them is for them to learn what we do, how we do it and why we do it,” Chief Norwood said. “That’s the purpose of the citizen academy.”

Persons interested in registering may contact Citizen Police Academy Coordinator GiTonya L. Parker at 646-7648.

The Richmond Times Dispatch reports:

A Richmond city councilman’s nephew is being held without bond today in the malicious wounding of a Virginia Union University student early Sunday.

Jamir Lee Jewell, whose uncle is Councilman E. Martin Jewell, was arrested Sunday about 1:15 a.m. — minutes after a student was shot in front of Newman Hall, an all-female dormitory on the northern edge of campus near Brook and Graham roads. Jamir Jewell is not a VUU student.

University police confirmed yesterday that the shooting occurred as they tried to deal with a crowd that had grown to as many as three dozen people.

“I really have to hand the credit to our people for the way they reacted,” VUU Police Chief David Horace said, noting that one officer stationed in a guard shack about 30 yards from Newman Hall called for reinforcements as the crowd grew more unruly. “It could have been much worse,” the chief said.

At least a half-dozen students have been shot or stabbed on or near the VUU campus in the past decade, according to news reports. The school has sought for years to control access to the campus, especially from nearby neighborhoods with histories of violence. A fence encircling the campus is under construction.

Campuswide alerts were not sent to the university community until nearly an hour after the shooting.

Two of the three school officers responding to the crowd are not authorized to carry weapons, Horace said.

Jewell, 21, could receive up to 23 years in prison if convicted on a malicious-wounding charge and an accompanying firearms charge. He made a brief appearance yesterday in Richmond General District Court and said he will retain his own attorney. A hearing was set for Sept. 11.

VUU officials declined to release the identity of the student who suffered three gunshot wounds to his left leg. He was expected to be released from the hospital shortly.

Martin Jewell said the news of the arrest of his sister’s son was a shock to him, but he declined any further comment. His nephew lives in the 800 block of West Lancaster Road, a few blocks from the university.