The 3rd Precinct’s Problem Solving Workshop was held yesterday at Lucille Brown Middle School. Adrian Bruns has this summary of the day’s events:

Other than the lack of air conditioning, the event was a success. There were several issues to address our area of sector 312, but we chose to tackle shed break-ins as an important, and solvable, problem in our neighborhood (also confirmed as a ‘gateway’ crime).

Why shed and outhouse break-ins as a focal point when there are several, more aggressive crimes that have taken place as of late? We defined, and confirmed with the local PD, the premise of minor shed burglary as deeming our neighborhoods vulnerable and acting as the catalyst to other, more serious crimes. The idea is to defuse any option of criminal activity and starting with the most prevalent (shed and outhouse burglary) will hopefully send us away from the top of the criminal target list.

Anyone is welcome and encouraged to join myself and others from the workshop next Saturday, Sept. 29, at picnic shelter #1 at FHP to take a first step (9 AM):

1. The Group and office Gracia (one of Lt. Booth’s team members) will walk about three blocks of alleys on both sides of New Kent, photograph the sheds, and identify those with obvious defects such as no lock or no lights.

2. Over the following 30 days, the group will contact the shed owners and encourage them to install, as appropriate, locks, lights, and alarms.

3. The goal is to eliminate shed break-ins in the selected area and, ultimately, to expand the project to other parts of the Forest Hill, Westover Hills, and nearby areas.