A handful of shootings during the first months of this year put many Laveen residents on edge, making most of the 60,000 people who live in the rural suburban community anxious about their safety.

Between Jan. 1 and mid-March, there were five shootings involving teenagers with three fatalities. Social media sites blew up with people expressing opinions about how to stay safe and voicing concerns about rising crime in Laveen.

“We’ve got to make public safety and hiring officers a priority,” says Wendy Ensminger, an active Block Watch member and president of the Laveen Association of HOAs. “We used to have squads of 12 officers. That’s what we’ve got to get back to.”

To address concerns about crime, Ensminger’s organization brought in Phoenix police to the group’s January, February, and March community meetings to talk about changes at the Maryvale-Estrella Mountain Precinct that serves the community and to get tips on how to make the community safer.

In February, the Phoenix Police Department added 51 officers to the precinct and assigned two squads of between seven and nine officers to serve the area south of Interstate 10. A third squad will serve the area north of I-10. Officers said the goal is to improve response time to the areas and to increase the number of arrests.

Also, the city of Phoenix is in the preliminary stages of setting its 2017-2018 budget. Vice Mayor Kate Gallego, who represents Council District 8, which includes South Phoenix and a portion of Laveen, said more than 70 percent of the General Fund budget is allocated to public safety. The budget proposal also includes a modest $1.9 million surplus that City Manager Ed Zuercher recommends using for “critical public safety needs. …”

Zuercher suggests using $1.3 million from that surplus to create 16 new positions for police administrative assistants. The assistants would ease administrative burdens from active officers and allow those officers to respond to high priority calls and reduce overall response times.

The police department also continues to actively recruit, says Officer James Spross, community programs sergeant for the Maryvale-Estrella Precinct.

Gallego said the goal is to have about 3,125 officers by year’s end, up from the approximate 2,900 officers currently serving. Attrition from retirement and officers leaving for other jobs makes that goal challenging, Spross acknowledged.

Following the rash of shootings earlier this year, the department’s 86 Zebra Squad – which consists of eight officers and a sergeant – began very closely monitoring social media sites frequented by teens. At least two of the shootings, including one in which an 18-year-old girl died, and two other teens were injured, took place at parties in vacant homes organized by “Party Crews.” Police said they have been able to shut down several of the parties before they happened due to the squad’s surveillance.

Officer Brandy Carter, a community action officer for Laveen and Sgt. Spross attended the March meeting of LAHOA and discussed break-ins and how homeowners can be proactive in keeping their property safe:

• Park vehicles inside garages.
• Lock vehicles parked on streets and do not leave valuables, particularly guns, inside vehicles.
• Padlock residential electrical boxes as several burglars have turned off the power to homes hoping to deactivate alarms and security systems.
• Use digital timers for lights, both inside and on outside fixtures, to deter criminals.
• Take pictures of serial numbers for electronics such as televisions, computers, cell phones, gaming systems and appliances.

Spross said having an alarm system gives homeowners a false sense of security because thieves can be in and out of a house very quickly – long before police officers can arrive on the scene. He also that often criminals will see an opportunity and take it.

“Lock your house; lock your car. Don’t make it easy for them,” he advises. “Don’t leave your guns in your car.”

Spross said that homeowners who do experience a break-in should watch the internet and social media sites such as Craig’s List, OfferUp and Facebook groups for buying and selling items to see if their stolen goods get listed for sale.

“We’ve had people call us and say their property is on OfferUp. We’ve had undercover officers call and go to the location and retrieve the items. But that only works if you know your serial numbers,” he said.

“It’s really easy for these kids, who are more savvy with social media, and these web sites… it’s really easy for them to unload this stuff,” Spross said.

Officer Carter said overall calls for burglary alarms are up 30 percent for the first months of 2017 to 845 from 675 in the same time period of 2016. The data is from January through mid-March.

However, first-quarter statistics overall bely claims of a crime wave in Laveen. According to Raids Online, a free Lexis-Nexis web site that tracks crime numbers using data provided by local police, the number of suspicious deaths, homicides and attempted homicides stayed the same at seven incidents for the first quarter of 2017 when compared with first-quarter 2016.

First-quarter robberies and burglaries also are down when compared with the first three months of 2016. Data was obtained for a three-mile radius from the intersection of 51^st Avenue and Baseline Road, which covers much of the Laveen boundaries.

To help residents be proactive, Ensminger said LAHOA is reforming its Block Watch and Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol Committee.  “We really want to expand the number of Block Watches in the community.”

The committee will assist communities that want to form Block Watches as well help existing Block Watch groups write grants for additional funding. Other goals include meeting with property managers and business owners at the intersection of 51^st and Baseline – where there are often calls for theft, robberies, and other crimes – and discuss how the neighborhood patrols and Block Watch can assist.

“We really want to be proactive,” Ensminger said.

RECENT SHOOTINGS IN LAVEEN

• Jan. 6 – 18-year-old Kajmere Burton killed, two other teens, ages 17 and 19, injured in shooting at a party near 43^rd Avenue and Baseline Road.
• Jan. 13 – 22-year-old Irvin Salazar-Murillo of Glendale died after a shooting during a party at a house near 55^th Avenue and Dobbins Road.
• Feb. 24 – 16-year-old boy was shot and died while home near 51^st Avenue and Estrella Drive.
• March 7 – A teenage girl was shot in the stomach at her home near 63^rd Avenue and Baseline Road.

Get Involved

Phoenix Police Crime Stop Number (non-emergencies): 602-262-6151

Maricopa County Sheriff: (non-emergencies) 602-876-1000

Block Watch – A city-sponsored program that encourages neighbors to watch out for each other and to enlist their participation to cooperate with police to reduce crime and improve safety in their neighborhoods.

Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol – Citizens who have received special training volunteer to patrol in the neighborhoods and be the “eyes and ears” for the police.

Visit https://www.phoenix.gov/police/community-relations for more information about PNP and the Block Watch program. If you are interested in setting up a Block Watch or receiving PNP training, contact Maryvale / Estrella Mountain Precinct Programs Coordinator, Officer Angie Shuman, at angelica.shuman@phoenix.gov or 602-495-0354 or Officer Holly Dancy, South Mountain Precinct, at holly.dancy@pheonix.gov or 602-534-6545.

If you are interested in the Phoenix Neighborhood Patrol program, contact Detective Brian Kornegay at brian.kornegay@phoenix.gov or 602-256-4303 or Officer Deb Iodice at deborah.iodice@phoenix.gov or 602-495-0597

Upcoming Training Dates for Block Watch and PNP

• May 20
• July 22
• Sept. 16
• Nov. 18

These articles first appeared in the April 6 edition of the South Mountain District News.

The post Laveen gets more officers; community focuses on safety appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways – either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.” – The Dalai Lama

Last month tragedy struck the Laveen community with the loss of two lives. Phoenix Police Officer David Glasser, a husband and father of two, died in the line of duty when he was shot while responding to a burglary near 48th Avenue and Baseline Road.

The shooter, identified by police as 19-year-old Israel Santos-Banos, opened fire on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 18 when police got out of their cruisers, hitting and severely injuring Glasser. Police returned fire, killing Santos-Banos. Glasser died the next morning.

Throughout the media coverage and social media attention, residents of Laveen found themselves united in shock and sympathy for the family Glasser left behind. Out of the tragic event, an overwhelming since of community grew. Within hours a makeshift memorial sprung up at 48th Avenue and Baseline Road, where candles, balloons and notes were left expressing the community’s grief.

Throughout the week, more and more members of the community stopped by to leave a memento or to shake hands when a Phoenix police officer was standing guard near the memorial. Young children with their parents and long-time residents came and expressed their appreciation for the police force and their grief for a loss in their town, one of their own.

Glasser was a 12-year veteran who served Laveen from the Maryvale-Estrella Precinct. Hundreds of residents in Laveen crossed paths with him during local events. His presence was woven into the fabric of Laveen’s community life.

“It really shows that we have a small town atmosphere here in Laveen. We are different than other parts of Phoenix and we are proud of that,” said Laveen resident Phillip Wooley.

The third annual Star Spangled Celebration in Laveen that honors fallen police officers, firefighters, and military veterans, had one of its largest attendances to date on the Friday evening that kicked off Memorial Day weekend.
“The crowd at our Star Spangled Celebration in Laveen last week was huge, which was an incredible show of support by the Laveen community for our first responders” Councilman Michael Nowakowski said. “It showed that our Laveen and South Phoenix residents stand behind our officers and firefighters and share the pain of those who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.”
On the day of Glasser’s funeral, thousands lined the streets along the path of his final journey. In Laveen, hundreds gathered at 7 p.m. in the Safeway parking lot – just a few hundred yards from the memorial site – to join in a candlelight vigil and the release of blue balloons. Many porchlights shone blue lights. The community came together in sorrow and remembrance.

Around the Valley, fellow police officers and other community’s touched by Glasser’s life also found ways to remember Glasser and assist his family:

 May 20 – money from a coffee mug and flower fundraiser for a fellow officer with a significant illness was shared with the Glasser family.
 May 21 – a carwash raises $41,000
 May 24 – a PLEA-sponsored barbecue raises $270,000
 May 25 – Visitation for Officer Glasser in Glendale with hundreds paying respects
 May 26 – Funeral services for Glasser with thousands in attendance and thousands lining the streets.
 May 26 – in Laveen, candlelight vigil, blue balloons released
 May 27 – Star Spangled Celebration at Cesar Chavez Park in Laveen

While grief lessens over time, let’s hope the community spirit ignited by Glasser’s tragic death will only grow stronger in Laveen.
How to help:
Donations can be made to PLEA Charities and designated for the Glasser family. Mail to PLEA Charities, 1102 W. Adams St., Phoenix, 85007. Direct donations to the Glasser family also can be made at National Bank of Arizona branch.
Donations also can be made to the 100 Club Survivor Fund. 333 North 44th Street, Suite 100, Phoenix, AZ 85008. Donations go to help the families of public-safety workers when tragedy strikes.
Rose Hutchinson Tring is a long-time journalist and owner of AZ Media Maven, a Laveen-based marketing and public relations company. She is also the founder of FinditinLaveen.com, a local business directory and free community calendar. Email her at rose@azmediamaven.com

The post Tragedy pulls together Laveen community appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.

Laveen – Dunkin’ Donuts will be supporting the family of fallen police officer, David Glasser, whose died Thursday after injuries while on-duty and responding to a burglary  call in Laveen, according to an announcement made Friday by the company.

To assist the family, the Dunkin’ Donuts location in Laveen at 5225 W. Baseline Road, Suite #104 (51^st Ave. and Baseline Road) will be donating 10 percent of  sales on Monday, May 23^rd to The 100 Club of Arizona.

 Dunkin’ Dontus supports local fire, police and other first responders through the Dunkin’ Donuts Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation.  Dunkin’ Donuts is partnering with The 100 Club of Arizona,  an organization that provides assistance to families of public safety members injured in the line of duty.

“We have the highest regard for the public safety members protecting our community and were devastated to hear the news of Officer David Glasser’s passing,” said local Dunkin’ Donuts franchise spokesperson, Cynthia Deltondo. “We are looking forward to using a portion of our proceeds on Monday as a donation to The 100 Club in support of the Glasser family during this difficult time.”

Officer David Glasser was a member of the police force for 12 years and worked on the Neighborhood Enforcement Team. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.

The post Dunkin’ Donut donating to benefit fallen police officer appeared first on Laveen Business Directory.