Northville Township’s law enforcers are debuting “Partners In Your Safety,” a long-term project to promote problem solving, create safer neighborhoods and develop relationships between police and residents.
Scott Hilden, who started the year as the township’s new police chief, introduced the three-phase program to at least 50 community members gathered at Township Hall.
“We want to build trust and positive relationships in the community,” Hilden said. “If we’re able to enhance the awareness of the community members, engage community members in this partnership in your safety, then we’ll be able to bring the community level of safety up as high up as it can be.”
Hilden promised that his Partners program is similar to endeavors he founded while working for Canton Township and Washtenaw Community College.
Law enforcers will connect individual neighborhoods with the resources and tools necessary to create safer communities. Accreditation is possible.
Participating neighborhoods must complete the following three phases:
Phase One: Neighborhood meeting to explain the project and establishing goals like meeting two neighbors.
Phase Two: Attend quarterly “Partners In Your Safety” meetings, ensure open communication between law enforcers and residents, residents enhancing safety by using online applications like Nextdoor, Nixle and Neighbors By Ring and promoting crime prevention seminars.
Phase Three: Post “Partners In Your Safety” signs at neighborhood entrances, make use of “Partners In Your Safety” stickers, present awards for most active community members and continue promotion of open communication between law enforcers and residents.
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Hilden shared this success story from his time at Washtenaw Community College: Someone stepped off a bus in front of the college and started walking through a parking lot, where he began lifting car handles.
The calls to campus police began, and they arrested the suspect, who was charged.
“The thing that made us really happy was here we had three members of the community call within the first few minutes of this person committing this crime. That’s how good the awareness was,” Hilden said. “We hope to have a real enhanced level of awareness of this program in all of your neighborhoods.”
Some other program expectations are crime reduction, a sense of empowerment, and a developed relationship with police. Homes, apartments and businesses can participate.
Audience members applauded law enforcers toward the end of the presentation.
Ed and Mary Lou Paddock live near the police department headquarters on Six Mile Road, between Haggerty and Sheldon roads. He left the meeting saying he felt informed and grateful that is wife convinced him to attend.
“Look! I say this to people all the time,” Mary Lou Paddock said. “The police can’t do everything. They said it themselves.”
For more information, contact Andrew Domzalski, community service officer for the Northville Township Police Department, at 248-349-9400 or [email protected].
Contact reporter Susan Vela at [email protected] or 248-303-8432. Follow her on Twitter @susanvela.