BOARDMAN Cops get grant to battle holiday crime

The police initiative will last through January.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- With another grant from trustees, township police will continue their crackdown on crime with a new focus on holiday criminals.
Trustees have agreed to grant the police department $50,000 to cover overtime expenses of officers who will be working special assignments to prevent crime or catch those committing crimes here. Police Chief Jeffrey Patterson said the focus will be on crimes typically committed during the holiday season.
This will be the second $50,000 grant given to the department for overtime this year.
Earlier this year, trustees gave the police department $50,000 to cover overtime for officers in the Street Crimes Unit -- a summer initiative that focused on crime in the northern end of the township. Police said problems with drugs and other illegal activity had become an issue.
Patterson said the summer initiative led to dozens of arrests for a variety of crimes including felony drug trafficking and misdemeanor traffic violations.
Advice
Trustee Elaine Mancini said trustees based the decision to grant a second $50,000 on the success of the first initiative. She said police departments in other states have contacted the township for advice on starting similar programs.
"This was very successful the first time in the number of crimes prevented and solved, and we felt it was important to keep the program going," she said.
Trustee Tom Costello said the first initiative paid for itself. Police confiscated $52,000 in drug money that went back to the police department, he said.
Patterson said in the second initiative, officers will be focusing on theft, car break-ins and burglary. He said police will be cracking down on those who target the many merchants and shoppers in the township.
"Merchants deposit large amounts of money, and consumers withdraw large amounts of cash during this time of the year, and we want to be on the lookout for these things," he said.
Shoppers can help
Patterson said the department will be charting its success not only in arrests made during the three months but also in potential crimes prevented. To that end, he said, residents and shoppers can help.
Patterson said it is important for shoppers to remember to lock their cars and not to leave packages sitting in plain view. He said it is also best to park in the areas with the most light.
Police also say shoppers should keep all cash and credit cards separate from wallets and purses and should never leave a purse sitting in a shopping cart.
The new crime initiative will last through January.
jgoodwin@vindy.com