Constable Patrol: June 2016 /  by Guest User

Newsletter readers: To view charts of crime stats please visit this article on the WHCA website.

The Constable Patrol operates on a fiscal year ending March 31. Through mid-July, we have approximately 375 subscribers, and 460 are needed to make two shifts sustainable long-term. If you have not renewed, please do so now. If membership does not increase, at some point likely in early 2017 we will have to reassess whether we have the available funds to continue to support two patrols. We will make a push at mid-year, and I’m hopeful we will ultimately meet our targets.  You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol.

WHCA Crime Reprot

  • April
  • May
  • June
  • April
  • May
  • June

Around 90% of theft from vehicles was on Studewood and White Oak in and around commercial areas, and is as likely to occur at lunchtime as at night. We had one burglary of a building (I believe it was a garage) in the 300 block of Highland.

While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600 block of North Main. In June there were no assaults or robberies, but several businesses were broken into — please be aware of your surroundings when in that area.

While not reflected in the above statistics, the Constables made two arrests in the neighborhood in June. One for DWI (500 block Teetshorn 10:54 pm on a Friday, and one for drug possession (1000 block of Studewood 11:27 pm on a Saturday).

Car theft 2300 block of White Oak; motorcycle theft 500 block of Bayland.

WHCA Constable Patrol Statistics

We remind everyone for a crime in progress, please call 911 first. If our deputies are on duty, they should be monitoring those calls, though you can also call Precinct One dispatch after calling 911 for crimes in progress. Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood, and remain through their shift, unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. When they stop to look at something or take some action, they keep a log, so we have a general idea of their activities. For June 2016 here is some of their activity:

 

Number Activity
19 Traffic stops, resulting in 7 citations. The deputies have radar and use it to monitor speeds in areas where there are complaints, and they pay particular attention to speeds in school zones;
2 Drug/alcohol-related arrests: one DWI and one drug possession; all occurring on the night shift.
5 Suspicious person call responses (please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right).
8 Suspicious vehicle call responses
17 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
166 Number of times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
1 House alarm responses.
12 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues (?), various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief (?)
24 “Meet the Citizen” – this is a conversation with a member of the neighborhood in a fashion that’s not covered above, (e.g. to introduce themselves or to answer a question). Our deputies are very service oriented, so if you see a deputy and have a question, or just want to say hello please flag them down.

— Steve Howard, WHCA, VP of Security

Block Captain Program /  by Guest User

Neighbor Missy Wright is leading an effort to reinstate the block captain program. This team of volunteers walks their block distributing WHCA information to neighbor's front porches. It's a great way to meet neighbors and help the WHCA eliminate some postage costs. While we’ve received a great response so far, we could use a few more volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact the block captain coordinator, Missy Wright.

General Meeting Recap – July 2016 /  by Guest User

Unfortunately we weren't able to video record this month's meeting but here's a quick recap of what transpired. First, our guest speakers:

  • The City of Houston gave a short presentation regarding the pending sewer line work the 900 blocks of Bayland, Highland, Omar, Merrill, and Redan. The old cement sewer lines will be replaced beginning in the August/September timeframe. The entire project is expected to take 2 to 3 months.
  • Neighbor Jim Weston of the I-45 Coalition spoke briefly to inform us there have been no new developments in the I-45 project and the next step is the as yet unscheduled last public meeting prior to the project start. That meeting is expected to occur sometime at the end of the year.
  • We also heard from the organizers behind the Pierce Skypark, a project seeking to transform the Pierce Elevated portion of I-45 into an expansive green belt similar to the High Line in New York City.
  • Finally, we heard from a representative from State Rep. Carol Alvarado's office who told us about a town hall the Representative is hosting about the Zika virus. The event is Wednesday, August 3rd, 6:30pm at the E.B. Cape Center Auditorium, 4501 Leeland St. Come learn about the virus, what you can do to prevent infection, travel warnings, and understand the pregnancy risks.

Next up, WHCA business:

  • Treasurer Melissa McKee updated us on the association finances since the last general meeting. If you have specific questions please feel free to contact her directly.
  • VP of Security Steve Howard let us know the Constable Patrol program is short subscribers to sustain a second shift. If you haven't renewed your membership yet please do so as soon as possible.
  • There were no updates regarding the traffic management plan. As soon as the WHCA receives information we'll share it on Nextdoor and the WHCA news page.
  • The historic district guidelines for the Woodland Heights, though in very early stages, are moving forward. If you have questions about these please refer back to our previous article on the matter.
  • A point of discussion was raised concerning the board's authority to allocate funds as allowed under the current bylaws.