Join others making communities safe.
Ann Plunkett, director of community partnerships with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, says the department offers Neighborhood Watch orientations in all precincts.
At the orientations, folks learn how to organize Neighborhood Watches in their neighborhoods and talk about issues confronting communities.
There are also monthly Precinct Partnership meetings to offer ongoing crime prevention training and support for Neighborhood Watch captains.
For more information, e-mail neighborhoodwatch@snoco.org or call 425-388-7375.
“We’re finding that a terrific synergy develops as captains start sharing information and ideas among themselves,” Plunkett says. “In some cases, adjacent neighborhoods have teamed up and communicate directly about crimes or suspicious activity they see.”
Crime prevention is a shared responsibility, she says.
Does it work?
She recently heard about an apartments in south Everett, located in the 12700 block of Avondale Way.
“In part because of close proximity to Highway 99, this community was a breeding ground for illicit drug activity and prostitution 24 hours a day,” Plunkett says. “A couple residents of the apartment community got involved in our Neighborhood Watch.”
Women walked together at night, armed with flashlights and cell phones, to report illegal activity when they spotted it. Participants are trained to not be confrontational, but to back away and call 911.
“Their efforts, combined with targeted daytime patrols by the sheriff’s volunteer citizen patrol and increased attention from night patrol deputies answering those 911 calls, brought about a significant decrease in the illegal activity over a four-month period,” Plunkett said.
And the level of illegal activity in that community has remained relatively low, she says.
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The Edmonds Cemetery Board will honor U.S. Navy Seabees at the May 25 Memorial Day ceremony.
A remembrance for Marvin G. Shields, the Seabees’ only Medal of Honor recipient from Washington, will be included in the program.
The Edmonds Cemetery Board seeks the loan of two or three U.S. flags given to the families of Seabee veterans for use in the ceremony.
If you have one to loan, please call Dale Hoggins at 425-776-1543.
Hoggins, chairman of the Memorial Day program, said he would understand if folks didn’t want to share their precious flags.
“I hope they would trust us, and come to the service,” he said. “We’ve done this before. We know how treasured those flags are.”
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We think of summer camps for kids as a time to sing songs, learn about seashells and play outdoors.
There is a different spin in Edmonds.
Kids can join Lego camp, run by Play-Well TEKnologies, a company that provides all the little plastic pieces. For more information, visit www.reczone.org or call 425-771-0230.
Tammy Rankins, Edmonds Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services recreation coordinator, says so far mostly boys have signed up.
“These hands-on, non-computer camps are suitable for novices to ‘maniacs’,” Rankins says.
Build a town, city, star base with houses, buildings, pyramids, bridges, tunnels, towers, motorized cars, trains, buses and trucks.
“Race them. Crash them. Repair them.”
Sounds like a great way for a kid to spend a summer week.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
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