Your own 4-legged house alarm system

As I walked around the neighborhood today, passing out reminders for our upcoming Neighborhood Watch meeting (this Tuesday, October 2nd), I was greeted by the barks and growls of the many dogs we have here in the community.

I've been a dog lover all my life, and I can't imagine my life without one. My little Basenji/Min Pin mix, Ubu, made the rounds with me, and together we quickly affirmed what you probably already know: a dog, no matter what size, makes a great home security system, quick to alert you to something (or someone) amiss, and cheap to maintain with adequate food, water, and the occasional chew toy.

And rescue dogs, or those from the local animal shelter, are the best. What better way to protect your house and get some unconditional love in return?!

I'm adding a link to the Tracy Animal Control website, to help make adopting your new guard dog that much easier. This blog will also feature the Adoptable Pet of the week, and other links on the City of Tracy site can take you to other shelters in the area. Check it out!

Your Neighborhood Watch Block Captains

At our September 13th meeting, you elected the folks who volunteered to be your Neighborhood Watch Block Captains. Here are their names and their phone numbers if you need to get in touch with them:

For Sequoia Boulevard:
Patricia Arrona… (209) 879-3299... Spanish calls welcome
Debbie Del Dotto… (209) 629-0259
Rita Madding… (209) 914-1983
Mike Shibley… (209) 832-8651

For Palm Circle:
Gabriela Cebreros… (209) 835-7798... Spanish calls welcome
Dustin Johnson & Elyse Najera… (209) 229-8297

Coordinator:

Jeff Gamble… (209) 833-0166

REMEMBER: In an emergency, call 911.

We still need volunteers for Chestnut Avenue/Cottonwood Avenue, Birch Drive, Hickory Avenue/Maple Court/Pine Court, Locust Drive, Cypress Drive, and Centre Court Drive. Drop us an email, or come see us at our next scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 2nd.

We can’t do it without you!

Mark your calendars for our next meeting on Tuesday, October 2

On Thursday, September 13th, you and your neighbors began the important first steps in making Alden Park and our surrounding streets safer for all of us. Your Neighborhood Watch Block Captains have been working hard since then to plan our next series of events in the Alden Park area.

Come to our next meeting of the Neighborhood Watch on Tuesday, October 2nd, at 6:30pm, in Alden Park, and find out what’s in store!

Things to bring with you:

1. Your friends, neighbors, and family members
2. Your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit on (unless you don’t mind standing)
3. Your completed “Family Data Sheet” if you got one at the last meeting. If not, we’ll have more for you on October 2nd. Each household should provide us with your basic information so we can help watch out for you and your family.
4. A few dollars. Each $1.00 donation buys you a Raffle Ticket for a fun prize that will be given out that night. Proceeds will go to cover copying expenses for our fliers and to pay for our “Neighborhood Watch” signs from the City.
5. A short list of things you want to see get better in the community.

On Tuesday, October 2nd, we’ll be announcing our plans for a Community Garage Sale (scheduled for Saturday, October 13th), and a pre-Halloween Costume Parade for the kids (scheduled for Sunday, October 28th). Come find out more!

Report Crimes with your Computer

Mike Shibley, Sequoia Boulevard resident and Neighborhood Watch Block Captain, wants you to know that you can report incidents of crime to the Tracy Police Department by making a report online through their "ePolicing" web site.

The City of Tracy website allows you to submit a report to the police for non-emergencies relating to:

• Lost Property
• Identity Theft
• Vehicle Burglary
• Vandalism
• Theft
• Harassing Phone Calls

Online reporting is right for you if this is NOT an emergency, the incident occurred within Tracy city limits, there are NO known suspects, and the incident DID NOT occur on a State freeway.

Go to Departments :: Police Department :: ePolicing for English and Departments :: Police Department :: ePolicing for Spanish to find out more and to make your report. Or check out our links on the side of the page.

Remember, if it's an emergency, call 911. Otherwise, Tracy's ePolicing might be the easiest way to go!

Thanks, Mike!

Taking our First Step

You couldn't miss it. The interest in starting a Neighborhood Watch program for the community around Alden Park was amazing.

Over 150 residents, neighbors, and friends came out last night to "take back our park" and to get to know one another. More than 100 signed in on clipboards, providing us with the initial information necessary to begin our fight for a safer place to live.

"Our police department is going to be on this," said Tracy Mayor Brent Ives, addressing the crowd with Irene Rose of the Crime Prevention Unit, and two of Tracy's policemen. "I've asked the Chief today to put extra patrols around this area for the near term to make us feel better about things."

Nearby resident Tom Collins, security consultant for Protection One alarm services, also acknowledged the importance of everyone in the crowd. "Look around you," he said. "Get to know each other. Your neighbors should be your first contact in the event of a problem in your community."

Sequoia Blvd. residents Shelly and Jason Brown stepped up to help distribute the "Family Data Sheet," so that the police department and Neighborhood Watch volunteers could have a record of who lived in which house, and other important information about each of our neighbors so we can better look out for one another.

Some took the time to complete and turn in the forms as the evening went on. Others took them home to fill out later. Completed forms can be brought to our next meeting (Tuesday, October 2nd, at 6:30pm in Alden Park), or you can drop them in the mailbox at Neighborhood Watch chairman Jeff Gamble's house at 732 Sequoia Blvd. If you still need a "Family Data Form" for your household, please send an email with your name and address to WatchAldenPark@aol.com.

A number of neighbors volunteered to serve as Block Captains for our program. The job of the Block Captain is to help coordinate future events for our neighborhood and to serve as the communications link to all of the Alden Park residents on their street. The names and phone numbers of our Block Captains will be listed in a separate post.

Meanwhile, we're getting ready for our next set of actions. Our next meeting will be led by Irene Rose and will be held in the park on Tuesday, October 2nd, at 6:30pm. Other residents expressed interest in future neighborhood events like Block Parties and a Community Garage Sale at the park. Check back here and watch for signs and fliers announcing the details.

Also, be sure to check out our latest online poll and register your opinion. We'll start prioritizing the things you want to see improved in our community, and together, we can make them happen.

Finally, here are a few more pictures of your friends and neighbors who helped make our first Neighborhood Watch meeting a great success. Thank you all for your concern and your dedication to a safe community for all of us.

Our neighborhood watch begins...

For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people's love and concern for each other.

-- Millard Fuller

On Sunday, September 9th, a man named Steven Klent gave all of us in the Alden Park area (and some would say, in the entire city of Tracy) a quiet wake-up call. For those who don't know, Mr. Klent, a 42-year-old "East Bay" resident, was found in our small park around 9:30am by one of our own, dead from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Soon after, news of this tragedy had us huddled in small groups around the park, kept at bay by yellow police tape and a beavy of officers who began the task of unraveling the mystery of this man's death.

The few details that have come to light have been printed on the websites of The Tracy Press (http://www.tracypress.com/), ABC News 10 (http://www.news10.net/), and Recordnet.com. Whatever the circumstances, however, it would be foolish to let this apparent crime drive us back into our homes, too scared to do anything about it.

Some residents spoke of possible gunshots in the early morning hours while most of us slept. Some have said they completed their early-morning routine around the park with no notice of Mr. Klent's body. If you know anything about this incident, I urge you to contact the police and help them with their investigation.

I spent the better part of Monday, September 10th, making fliers and signs and, with the help of Kevin Metzger and my trusty dog Ubu, distributing them to more than 250 homes on the streets that converge on Alden Park. (Photo by Enrique Gutierrez/Used with permission of The Tracy Press)

These notices announced a planning meeting for a Neighborhood Watch program for our community. I have also contacted the City of Tracy's Crime Prevention Unit and enlisted their help and expertise in this matter.

We will hold our first community meeting to establish our Neighborhood Watch this Thursday, September 13th, from 6:00pm 'til dusk, at Alden Park. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Bring your concern and suggestions on how we can make our community a better place.

It's too bad that it takes a tragedy like this to bring people together, but together, we can make sure that Steven Klent's death didn't go unnoticed. And out of this tragedy, those who remain may be better for it.

This blog will be used to keep you informed of upcoming Neighborhood Watch meetings, community events, and tips you can use to keep you and your family safe.