Safety in the City. The ASK Campaign Continues to Save Children s Lives

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1 Safety in the City Enhancing the quality of neighborhoods through community participation BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Jenni Bernheisel, Crime Prevention (53) Neighborhoods: Hollywood, Madison South, Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Rose City Park, Roseway, Woodland Park. Stefanie Adams, Crime Prevention (53) Neighborhoods: Beaumont-Wilshire, Bridgeton, Cully, East Columbia, Hayden Island, Sumner, Sunderland. V O L U M E 1 I S S U E 3 The ASK Campaign Continues to Save Children s Lives by J.Bernheisel A P R I L 2 8 You may have had a discussion with your children about guns. However, children are curious about guns and particularly intrigued if they come across one. If they find one in a home they are likely to play with it. According to PAX Real Solutions to Gun Violence, just talking to children about the dangers of firearms is not enough. More than 4% of households in America with children have guns. It is time to start asking the important questions that will protect children from their curiosity. In August of 2 the ASK campaign was launched by PAX. ASK is an acronym for Asking Saves Kids. The campaign encourages parents to ask a variety of questions to help keep their kids safe when they play at the home of a friend, neighbor or relative. Many parents will admit that it never occurred to them to ask if there is a gun in the home where their child is playing. So...ASK if there is a gun before sending your child over to play. If the answer is YES...You need to determine if your child's safety is at risk. Guns should be kept in a gun safe with the ammunition locked separately or they pose a real risk to your child. Hiding guns is not enough. There are countless tragic stories of kids finding guns that parents thought were well hidden or safely stored. If you have any doubts about the safety of someone's home, you should politely invite the children to play at your house instead. (cont.) Tips to make ASKING easier: ASK with other questions. Include the question along with other things you might normally discuss before sending your child to someone s house such as seat belts, animals, or allergies. Use the facts. Over 4% of homes with children have a gun and many of those guns are left unlocked and loaded. That s why you re asking the question you just want to make sure that your child is safe. Work through groups. Introduce the ASK concept through a group or community effort, such as your religious organization or PTA. Don t be confrontational. Present your concerns in a respectful manner. You are simply trying to make sure your child is playing in a safe environment. Use literature like the ASK brochure to help open the dialogue.

2 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 2 ASK Campaign (cont.) PAX's goal, in the next five years, is to cut the number of youth gun deaths in half. For more information about the ASK campaign you can go online to Supporters of the ASK campaign include the Emergency Nurses Association, the Children's Defense Fund, the American Federation of Teachers, the Police Foundation and many more. Preventing Catalytic Converter Thefts by S Adams From reading and watching the news, you may be aware of the recent trend in thefts of catalytic converters. I have received a number of complaints in recent months about this phenomenon. This crime trend is not only impacting various neighborhoods in Portland, but is also impacting cities throughout the country. Prior to learning about these thefts, many people may not have known where these devices were located on their vehicle or what they do. The catalytic converter is located underneath the car and its function is to convert harmful pollutants into less toxic emissions. When they are missing, a car will emit a loud, unusual sound and/or fumes. These devices are stolen for the metal. Vulnerable targets are trucks and SUVs because they have a higher ground clearance, which makes it easier to slide underneath the car and get out faster. It can take only a few minutes to execute this crime. Prevention Tips: Park in your garage instead of the street or driveway. If this isn t possible, choose a safe and secure place where neighbors would be able to immediately identify any suspicious activity. If parking at a business, choose an area with a lot of foot traffic versus an isolated spot. At night, choose a well-lit area. Consider adding a proximity or motion sensor alarm to your car. Ask your mechanic about ways that you might secure the catalytic converter on your car. Engrave your driver s license or other identification (not your social security number) on to the catalytic converter. This helps the police identify that this part is stolen and belongs to you. Contact 911 if you see someone underneath a vehicle and you are unsure if they are the owner. If you discover that someone has stolen your converter and it is not a crime in progress, contact the non-emergency number to report the crime. Talk to your neighbors about starting a neighborhood watch. The more you know about what is normal in your neighborhood or business watch, the more able you will be to identify suspicious activity.

3 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 3 Ride Connection by James Uyeda When people discuss the need for services for older adults and people with disabilities, the focus is often on healthcare, affordable housing, safety, and access to employment and education; however transportation is often an afterthought or not thought of at all. Ride Connection provides that link to accessible and responsive transportation that the community needs. Ride Connection coordinates and provides a continuum of quality transportation options, resources, and services for older adults and people with disabilities through the network of more than 3 providers in the Portland metro area, including Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties. Some of these resources, services, and options include; transportation information and referral services, travel training, community transportation services (ranging from door-to-door service to community shuttles), and support of service providers. The story of Ride Connection is one of evolution and collaboration; of identifying transportation needs and filling them; of recognizing opportunities and building upon those opportunities. In the mid-198s a citizen committee recommended that a volunteer program could best meet the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Ride Connection was incorporated as a private nonprofit in May 1988 with a vision to link accessible, responsive transportation with community needs. Ride Connection and its service provider network have evolved from a limited provider of volunteer transportation services, to a major partner in the provision of transportation services to older adults and people with disabilities in the Tri-County area. The relationship between TriMet and Ride Connection represents a unique blending of public and private resources and serves as a model of effective regional cooperation and collaboration. Over the years the Ride Connection Network has grown from providing just over 11,7 rides in our first year to providing over 358,7 rides in our 26-7 fiscal year. Our network of community based transportation providers has grown from six providers to more than 3.

4 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 4 Get Behind It. The Bike Box Taken from the Portland Office of Transportation The City of Portland Office of Transportation is implementing a new road design that will make it safer for automobiles and bikes to be on the road together through the use of a Bike Box. The Bike Box is an intersection safety design to prevent bicycle/car collisions, especially those between drivers turning right and bicyclists going straight. It is a green box on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside. It includes green bicycle lanes approaching and leading from the box. Although Portland is known for its blue bike lanes, federal transportation officials thought blue could be confusing since it is also the color used to indicate disabled parking. A national committee that works on such issues has recommended that green be the standard color for bicycle. What Motorists Should Know When the traffic signal is yellow or red, motorists must stop behind the white stop line behind the green bike box. Don t stop on top of the bike box. Keep it clear for cyclists to use. No right turns on red at these intersections! When the light turns green, motorists and cyclists may move through the intersection as usual, with cyclists going first. Motorists turning right on green should signal and watch for cyclists to the right, especially in the green bike lane in the intersection. What Bicyclists Should Know When a traffic signal is yellow or red, enter the bike box from the approaching green bike lane. Stop before the crosswalk. When the light is green, proceed as normal. Be aware of right-turning motorists, especially while in the green lane in the intersection. Why are Bike Boxes being installed? The main goal is to prevent collisions between motorists turning right and cyclists going straight. It s all about visibility and awareness. At a red light, cyclists are more visible to motorists by being in front of them. At a green light, the green bike lane through the intersection reminds motorists and cyclists to watch for each other. Bike Boxes: Increase safety when drivers are making right turns by allowing cyclists to move in front. Increase safety by coloring the bike lane through the intersection. Increase safety by reminding motorists to be alert for cyclists. For more information go to or call the Portland Bicycle Hotline at

5 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 5 Crime Statistics by Neighborhood Feb 8 Aggr Assault Neighborhood(sglarcidceny Rape bery Prowl dalism s DUII Crime Assault Bur- Homi- Lar- Rob- Car Van- Drug Sex Simple BEAUMONT- WILS BRIDGETON CULLY E COLUM- BIA 1 1 HAYDEN ISLAND HOLLY- WOOD MADISON SOUTH PARKROSE PARKROSE HGTS ROSE CITY PARK ROSEWAY SUMNER SUNDER- LAND WOODLAND PARK 1 Reference Sex Crimes - Statutory rape, sodomy, molest, indecent exposure, and other offenses against common decency. Attempts are included. (Does not include rape or prostitution.) Simple Assault - Assaults and attempted assaults where no weapons are used and which do not result in serious or aggravated injury to the victim. Larceny - The unlawful taking of property from the possession of another; includes pickpocket, purse snatch, shoplift, and bike theft. Vehicle Theft Announcements/Resources *Find your Neighborhood Association and/or Neighborhood Coalition at *28 City-wide Landlord Forums are scheduled at the East Portland Neighborhood Office 117 NE 117th Avenue from 6:3-8:3pm each month on the third Thursday. These are a great opportunity to network, group problem solve, and ask an attorney well-versed in landlord/tenant law questions. The topic of April s meeting is Crime Prevention for Landlords. Contact Rosanne Lee, Crime Prevention Coordinator at or her at rosanne.lee@ci.portland.or.us for more information. *Landlord Trainings: Landlord Training dates have been announced. This free 8-hour class will be offered on the following dates/locations: 1) Saturday, April Concordia University, 2) Wednesday, April Kaiser Permanente Town Hall, 3) Saturday, May Providence Medical Center New Facility, 4) Wedneday, May Concordia Call for more information. *Look up crime statistics for your neighborhood at and click on Crime Stats or click on Crime Mapper2 to look up crime statistics within a half mile radius of your home.

6 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 6 Ready. Safe. Go. Conference and Awards Ceremony Do you want to know more about what you can do to reduce crime in your neighborhood? Are you as prepared as you could be if a disaster should strike? Come learn about crime prevention and emergency preparedness at the third annual Ready. Safe. Go. conference and volunteer awards ceremony on April 26, 28. The event will be held at PCC Cascade Campus, 75 N. Killingsworth St. Portland, and runs from 8:3 a.m. 3: p.m. Good information comes out of these events, said Arlene Kimura, Chair of the Hazelwood Neighborhood Association. We ve used the information at our public safety meetings. Ready. Safe. Go. is a partnership between the Office of Neighborhood Involvement s Crime Prevention Program and the Portland Office of Emergency Management. The goal of the conference is to give community members tools to create safe and prepared neighborhoods. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn new techniques and resources to reduce crime in your neighborhood, said Stephanie Reynolds, Crime Prevention Program Manager. And the awards ceremony is a nice way to honor those who have worked so hard to make Portland a safe and livable community. It s about neighbors helping neighbors, when it has to count, says Portland Citizen Corps Council Chair, Lawrence Behmer. In any serious public safety emergency, everyday citizens are partners with government when it comes to keeping their households and community safe. Ready, Safe, Go promotes that partnership. This free event will offer twenty classes including: how to handle graffiti, resources available online, child predator awareness, identity theft, special needs rescue, victim extrication and patient transport, foreign language phrases for NET responders, basic emergency preparedness, shelter operations, and more. For a complete list of classes, schedule for the day, and registration information, check online at (after March 1) or contact Theresa Marchetti at Preregistration is required.

7 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 7 Learn about the Business Watch Program Learn ways you can increase the safety in your business district. Connect with your business neighbors at the next International District meeting! When: April 28, 28 Time: 7: 8:3pm Where: Nazarene Church 716 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, Oregon (Use side entrance) More info: Business Watch Program Presentation Brought to you by: Jenni Bernheisel, Crime Prevention Coordinator

8 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 PAGE 8 Graffiti Awareness Class Hosted by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement and East Portland Neighborhood Office Taught by Marcia Dennis, Graffiti Program Specialist Graffiti: What does it say? What can YOU do about it? In this class you will learn how to identify, photograph, report and remove graffiti properly. Where: East Portland Neighborhood Office 117 NE 117th Avenue Portland OR 9722 When: May 12, 28 Time: 6:3-8: PM Please register by ing jenni.bernheisel@ci.portland.or.us or by phone at