Welcome to news of the Bellevue Neighborhood Patrol.
We have a set of current
Incident Reports.
Give Your Neighborhood 1.5 Hours a
Month
Join the Bellevue Security Patrol and Make a Difference
On Jan. 29, 2002 in his first State of the Union
address, President Bush called on every American to commit to the “service of
your neighbors and your nation.”
A terrific opportunity to get
involved exists right here in Bellevue. You’ve all seen the flashing yellow
light as your fellow neighbors volunteer one-and-a-half hours each month to
serve on the Bellevue Security Patrol. It’s a small contribution of time that
makes a big difference in the quality of life we enjoy in our neighborhood.
Crime Happens
Bellevue is a great place to live, but the reality is
that we experience a fair number of vehicle thefts and break-ins, as well as
home and shed burglaries. Our local businesses have been robbed multiple
times, and, on occasion, muggings have occurred.
The Bellevue Security Patrol was
set up several years ago by a number of concerned citizens who were determined
to make our community a safer place to live. The premise was to alert would-be
criminals that Bellevue citizens were keeping close watch over the
neighborhood and their neighbors. Neighborhood patrols are an effective crime
deterrent in communities across America.
Through the years, the patrol
has worked in close cooperation with the Richmond City Police Department,
which assists with patrol member training and provides guidance on operating a
successful neighborhood patrol program.
The Security Patrol also
collaborates with the Bellevue Neighborhood Watch program, which coordinates
neighborhood crime alerts through a network of block captains.
Westminster-Canterbury
graciously allows the patrol to use its guardhouse to store equipment and
serve as the starting point for each patrol. A number of neighborhood
businesses provide monetary support and services to help keep the patrol up
and running. We also receive financial support from the Bellevue Civic
Association and individual donors, which helps the patrol foot the bill for
its cell phones, beepers, flashing lights and voice mail service. But we rely
on volunteers to get the job done!
We Need Your Help
As with every volunteer organization, the more hands on
board, the more successful we will be. Our wonderful volunteers on the
patrol—many who’ve been onboard since the patrol’s inception—invite you to
join them. More patrols are needed each day and night of the week. We operate
four rotating teams (A, B,C, D), allowing new members to choose the time that
suits your schedule best. If you have a partner (friend, spouse, significant
other), you’re welcome to patrol together. If you want to make a new friend in
the neighborhood, we’ll find you a partner. Typically, partners take turns
volunteering their car and gas for the 1.5-hour patrol each month.
We ask all new members to attend
one orientation session conducted by patrol leaders and the Richmond police.
Your patrol captains will also provide “on-the-road” training as needed.
Join Us!
Through the years, Bellevue Security patrol members have
helped deter car break-ins, alerted police to suspicious individuals loitering
in the neighborhood, ousted a known drug dealer, ensured that broken
streetlights were replaced and that potholes were repaired. Last Halloween,
our patrollers reunited a lost child with his father. In addition, we operate
a community voice mail box (257-9705) to keep our neighbors abreast of recent
crime activity.
These are but a few examples of
the excellent results we know about—just think about the number of crimes we
likely have deterred by being a visible presence in the neighborhood.
For more information about
joining the patrol, call patrol chairman Chris Sterling at 266-7496, or vice
chairman Winnie Cobb at 264-0959.
You’ll be making a
difference in the most important place—your neighborhood!