Sector 213 Newsletter M a y, 2 0 1 6 Richmond Police Department W i t h c o m m u n i t y c o m e s u n i t y. H e l p e a c h o t h e r, u n d e r s t a n d e a c h o t h e r, a n d s e r v e e a c h o t h e r. N o m a t t e r t h e t i m e o f y e a r y o u r h o m e s e c u r i t y i s a l w a y s i m p o r t a n t 1
In reviewing our current crime information, we are doing a great job working together at decreasing our crime rates. But we must not slack off in our efforts. Residential Burglary and Theft From Motor Vehicles still are offenses that we need to work at together. I m asking that we all work together to make an impact on this type of crime. Property Crimes 2
SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP DETER THEFTS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES DO NOT leave your vehicle unlocked when you are away from it, even for only a short period. Make sure all windows and doors are secured before leaving the vehicle. BE AWARE! PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES. Do not leave your property (including ipods, GPS s, electronics or purses) in plain view inside your vehicle, even when it is locked. Take your valuables with you or secure them in the glove compartment, center console or in the trunk. LOCK ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS. When you are in your vehicle, whether driving or waiting, make sure all the windows and doors are locked. This will make it difficult for opportunistic thieves to open the doors while you are stopped at traffic lights or waiting in a parking area. ENGRAVE YOUR PROPERTY with your name or driver s license and make a list of the serial number/s of your property. DO NOT leave identification, important papers and credit cards in your vehicle. BE ON THE LOOKOUT for anyone who is acting suspiciously or looks out of place (i.e. looking in windows or checking parked vehicles). Make a note of the person s appearance, clothing and call the police immediately. REMEMBER.. SEE SOMETHING.. SAY SOMETHING ONLY THROUGH COMMUNITY INVOLEMENT, NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHORBORS, CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER 3
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Allow a motorcyclist a full lane width. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, designed to encourage all drivers and motorcyclists to share the road with each other. In 2014, 4,586 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes, a decrease of 2.3 percent from 2013 (4,692). Those deaths account for 14 percent of the total highway fatalities that year. This decrease in motorcycle fatalities continues to break a tragic trend over the last 17 years, which saw only one other decline in 2009. Injured motorcyclists also decreased from 93,000 in 2013 to 88,000 in 2014. Because motorcycles are smaller than most vehicles, they can be difficult to see. Their size can also cause other drivers to misjudge their speed and distance. Size also counts against motorcycles when it comes to blind spots. Motorcyclists can be easily hidden in a vehicle s blind spot. Always look for motorcycles by checking your mirrors and blind spots before switching to another lane of traffic. Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic. This allows motorcyclists to anticipate your movement and find a safe lane position. Allow more follow distance three or four seconds when following a motorcycle; this gives the motorcycle rider more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. Motorcycle riders may suddenly need to change speed or adjust lane position to avoid hazards such as potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings, and grooved pavement. 5
The Cinco de Mayo holiday period (6 p.m. May 4 to 5:59 a.m. May 6) is especially deadly on our nation s roads, with more than one-third of all crash fatalities from 2010-2014 involving a drunk driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of.08 or higher. In fact, from 2010-2014, there were 268 people killed in drunk-driving crashes over the Cinco de Mayo holiday period, with 33 people killed in 2014 alone. 6
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Richmond Police Department is encouraging all residents to sign up for Nextdoor. Become involved with your neighbor again. Nextdoor.com was created because they believe that the neighborhood is one of the most important and useful communities in a person's life. Neighbors everywhere use the Nextdoor platform to build stronger and safer neighborhoods around the world. My Challenge to all of my residents in 2016...is for each of you that has signed up for Nextdoor, find one neighbor and get them to sign up. I want to see a 100% increase in community members becoming a part of the Nextdoor community. Lieutenant Robert C. Marland Sector 213 Commander Office Phone: 804-646-8145 R i c h m o n d P o l i c e D e p a r t m e n t S e c o n d P r e c i n c t 1 1 7 E. B e l t B o u l e v a r d R i c h m o n d, V A 2 3 2 2 4 8