- For even greater involvement, short of actually signing up for the force, you can join the Citizen's Police Academy, a program "designed to inform and teach interested citizens the various aspects of municipal policing." The curriculum includes topics like "arrest and control techniques" and "firearm procedures." The goal of the Academy is to "develop a closer understanding and working relationship between the San Francisco Police Department and communities served." Classes take place in the evenings, once a week for three hours. Call Officer Rose Melendez at (415) 401-4701 for more information. Enrollment is limited.
- For the armchair tracker of criminal activity, the City offers another resource: CrimeMaps, a database that allows one to "easily produce maps and reports of incidents from data contained in SFPD police reports." Such information might also be useful to community associations or Neighborhood Watch groups.
- If you're interested in taking a more proactive step toward keeping your neighborhood secure, San Francisco S.A.F.E., Inc. ("Safety Awareness for Everyone"), a non-profit organization founded in 1976, can provide you with information on starting a Neighborhood Watch group. SF S.A.F.E. is dedicated to "preventing crime and violence and improving quality of life... by bringing communities, police and other resources together." You can reach them at (415) 553-1984 or (415) 673-SAFE (7233).
- Be sure also to visit the Web site for the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC). You're probably already familiar with the council's mascot McGruff, the crime-fighting bloodhound in the Sherlock Holmes trench coat. The NCPC's mission "is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur." Visit the NCPC online for information on crime prevention, safety programs, and more.
Whatever your level of interest, please at least keep a watchful eye on your neighborhood. Personal action can make all the difference.
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