Security

Constable Patrol Program Renewals for 2018-19 by Lori Bigler

WHCA VP Security, Brad Snead sent the following message was emailed to members of the Constable Patrol program. It's broadly applicable to the entire neighborhood, so we're posting it here as well.

Dear Neighbors:

WHCP18.png

It’s that time again. If you haven’t renewed already, please go ahead and do so. The new fiscal year starts April 1, 2018. I apologize in advance if you get more than one email or notice (you probably will), but we are trying to distribute the information as widely as possible.

We recently sent out our annual neighborhood mailer for the Constable Patrol and Association dues. You can respond to the mailer, or go to our website and pay via PayPal or download a membership form to use if you want to pay by check. Annual Constable Patrol Program participation is $330 by check, and $340 via PayPal. Here is the website link: https://www.woodland-heights.org/constable/

Any Interest in Serving as VP of Security?

Before getting to the other details, does anyone have interest in taking over the board position for VP of Security for the upcoming term? I’m planning to step down for the next term. Please let me know if you have any interest.

Sticker Distribution.

For those who renew by April 1st, we’ll plan to hand deliver the new stickers (and a new sign if you need it). If you are on auto-renew and don’t know when that will occur, I recommend going into PayPal, cancelling, and starting it again so it will auto-renew in March. For those who do not renew by April 1st, we’ll coordinate a pick-up location so you can come get a new sticker at your convenience.

Basic Info.

The WHCA has a contract with the Constable Patrol Program, serviced by Harris County Precinct One. We have two full-time deputies that patrol our neighborhood for a total of 80 hours each week, in two staggered shifts—one during the day and one at night.

The cost has increased 3% this year. The total cost for two deputies for year is roughly $158k. This is NOT paid for by property taxes or any other source. To maintain this service, we need approximately 460 households to donate $330 per year. Last year we had almost 400 subscribers. But because of a generous donation from Greystar Apartments, and a little surplus from the prior year, we were able to maintain two deputy shifts throughout the year. We still have about one month surplus going into the next term.

We hope you join or renew to help us sustain the program so that we can continue the program. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to join.

Benefits.

Finally, here is a summary of the benefits of the program:

  • Police presence (dedicated deputies are visible, learn the neighborhood, and prevent crime);
  • Prompt response (deputies usually respond more quickly than HPD);
  • Vacation Watch (a deputy will do a physical, daily inspection of your home while you are on vacation);
  • Home Security Check (a deputy will physically come to your home to provide a security assessment);
  • Text/Email Crime Alerts (you may sign up for crime alerts from Precinct 1);
  • Crime stats (the VP of Security will provide periodic crime updates and statistics);
  • Coordination with alarm companies (you may give the Precinct One dispatch number to your alarm monitoring companies);
  • Coordination with the Constable’s office (the VP of Security will act as a liaison with the department to coordinate any special requests or concerns);
  • Coordination with surrounding neighborhoods (an unheralded benefit, allowing constables in surrounding areas to respond to calls when our deputies are off duty).

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about the program.

Brad Snead
VP-Security WHCA
security@woodland-heights.org

 

Winter Weather Potential for Start of 2018 by Lori Bigler

What is the danger?

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a strong cold front will cross the region on New Year’s Eve (Sunday). There is a low probability that this system will bring light rain, and moisture on the ground and roads may freeze. Temperature lows Tuesday and Wednesday morning could fall into the lower 20's and may result in a hard freeze.

  • Overnight temperatures are expected to fall near to or below freezing by Monday morning and fall below freezing each night through Friday morning.
  • Colder temperatures may impact individuals displaced or affected from Harvey that are utilizing temporary or makeshift housing.
  • The Harris County Toll Road Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation are pre-treating roadways as a precaution.

What you should do:

Remember the 4 P’s for preparing your home for Winter Weather:

  1. PEOPLE: Keep your family warm and check on any elderly family or neighbors that may need extra blankets, winterizing their homes or a warm place to stay.
  2. PETS: Dogs and cats get cold too. Bring them inside at night to keep them healthy and safe.
  3. PLANTS: Either cover plants to keep them warm at night or bring them inside so they can flourish.
  4. PIPES: Cover exposed pipes to prevent freezing and breaks.

Stay safe on the roads

DRIVE SAFELY: Check roads before heading out. If icy conditions are present, drive slower and give yourself extra stopping distance. Take extra caution on bridges and overpasses as they will ice quickly.

PREPARE YOU CAR: Have a car safety kit and consider having a blanket and extra phone charger in case you are stranded.

Don’t forget…

SPACE HEATER SAFETY: Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. Remember to keep all heating sources away from drapes and furniture.

POWER OUTAGE: Have a flashlight, extra batteries, portable cell phone charger, warm clothes, blankets and a weather radio in case power goes out. If it gets too cold, go to a public place like the mall or a library to heat up.

STAY INFORMED: Check weather reports and local media for the latest conditions. Where you can learn more:

WHCA Constable Patrol Update: March-May 2017 by Lori Bigler

Subscriber Stats

We have a little more than 350 subscribers and have received some generous additional donations from our neighbors, totaling about $119k. We have also received a $10k contribution from Greystar and, as I mentioned before, we had about $10k in surplus from the prior year. That brings us to about $139k. Our goal for two-deputy shifts is $153k, so we are getting closer but are not there yet. As it stands, we are a little more than one month short, or about 45 more subscribers. We would need even more to maintain our surplus for next year.

That said, we have a number of people who have signed up for auto-renewal and are scheduled to “renew” over the next few months, but have not yet done so. If that is you, please consider contacting us and renewing now. If you have not subscribed or renewed, please consider doing so. And if you know someone who would like to participate but cannot afford to pay the full amount, please have them contact me.

Crime Stats

Here is a summary of the criminal activity in our neighborhood from March through May.

Crime Map

Here is a map giving a snapshot of the criminal activity over the last three months combined (22 incidents).

Legend: car (thefts of/from vehicle); star (burglaries); ring (other theft); hand (violent crime); whistle (sexual assault). Data is available at https://goo.gl/vFfDmT.

Constable Patrol Activity

Wonder what our Constables do, other than generally patrol the neighborhood to be seen and prevent crime? Here is a summary of “Contract Activity Report.”

Bonus. For those who may be curious, here is a map of our contract area:

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.

Do not hesitate to call Precinct One for something that doesn’t look right. Our deputies want you to err on the side of calling things in. Our neighborhood is big, and you can help direct our deputies to suspicious activity.

Brad Snead
VP-Security WHCA

The Constable Patrol: Introducing Deputy Hathhorn by Lori Bigler

This post is part of an effort to introduce the people who patrol the Woodland Heights as part of the Constable Patrol Program.

As a native Houstonian, Deputy Hathhorn is the night time patrol Deputy for Woodland Heights. While Deputy Hathhorn is new to the Woodland Heights contract, he has been with Harris
County Constable Precinct 1 for six years.

Deputy Hathhorn served for three of those years as a Reserve Deputy. He enjoys serving others. He served the City of Friendswood, Texas as a Fire Fighter and Emergency Medical Technician for six years. In 2016 he was awarded a Bravery Medal
by Constable Alan Rosen. Without regard to his own personal safety, Deputy Hathhorn placed himself in harm’s way to savea citizen.

He has been married for sixteen years and has two children. He loves dogs, raises cattle, and enjoys outdoor life. Deputy Hathhorn believes that community policing has a huge impact
in Woodland Heights. He serves this community as if it were his own community.

The Constable Patrol: Introducing Deputy Vest by Lori Bigler

This post is part of an effort to introduce the people who patrol the Woodland Heights as part of the Constable Patrol Program.

Deputy David Vest is originally from Alvin, Texas and now resides in Houston, graduated from Sam Houston State University with a degree in criminal science. He's been patrolling the neighborhood for three years and has been employed with Harris County Constables Office since 2005. Has a brother that is also a Deputy Sheriff in another county. He enjoys hunting, fishing, outdoor recreational activities and attends as many Texas A&M football games as his time allows. He enjoys patrolling the Woodland Heights because of the small community relations and its citizens.

January 2017 Constable Patrol Update by Lori Bigler

Subscriber Stats

The Constable Patrol operates on a fiscal year ending March 31. Through January, we have approximately 409 subscribers, which is below our usual amount from past years. To sustain two deputy shifts for an entire year, we need 460 subscribers. Luckily, we have had a little bit of a surplus to help fill the gap this year due to a donation by Greystar Apartments. We have about 1-2 months left of a surplus. In other words, if we do not get our membership numbers up next year, we may not be able to have two full deputy shifts for 12 months. More details to come next month as we officially start the renewal campaign.

Please support the Constable Patrol, and please let me know of any ideas you have on how to improve the program and make it sustainable moving forward.

Testimonial

Here is a recent testimonial from a subscriber about her experience with the vacation watch.

“I sent in a vacation watch form to let the constable know I would have a house guest. I indicated on the form I would be in town. I have a new Ring Video Doorbell Pro, and was surprised when a female officer went to my front door and tried the handle. Then the next day I saw remotely that a male officer did the same thing.
On the third day it happened when I was home and went upstairs and turned on the light - and I saw the officer parked across the street, waiting. I called the constable to ask why they kept trying my front door. It turned out that somehow it was entered into "the system" that I was on vacation. I felt so protected that they would check my house EVERY DAY.
I also have experienced that the constable will show up in under 10 minutes, while HPD can take up to an hour. The constable patrol is well worth the investment."

Crime Stats

Here is a summary of the criminal activity in our neighborhood over the past month.

January 2017 Crime Stats.jpg

Crime Map

Here is a map giving a snapshot of the criminal activity, showing most activity around Houston Avenue near I-45. Legend: car (thefts of/from vehicle); star (burglaries); ring (other theft); hand (violent crime).

Constable Patrol Activity

Wonder what our Constables do, other than generally patrol the neighborhood to be seen and prevent crime? Here is a summary of “Contract Activity Report.” There were 403 activities logged, about half coming during our day shift and half during our evening shift. Some activities were logged by constables patrolling nearby neighborhoods when our constables were off duty (which is another perk of the program).

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.   Do not hesitate to call Precinct One for something that doesn’t look right.  Our deputies want you to err on the side of calling things in.  Our neighborhood is big, and you can help direct our deputies to suspicious activity.    

Brad Snead,
VP-Security WHCA

Constable Patrol: Data for October 2016 by Guest User

Newsletter readers: To view the charts please select the article title to read this article on the WHCA website.

The Constable Patrol operates on a fiscal year ending March 31. Through mid-November, we have approximately 400 subscribers, and 460 are needed to make two shifts sustainable long-term. We recently reached out to the neighborhood to get people to join for the second half of the year, and in the first two weeks of that, picked up about 20 new members. Hopefully more will continue to respond and I am optimistic we can hit our number with next spring's renewal campaign. You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage.  Please support the Constable Patrol.

WOODLAND HEIGHTS CIVIC ASSOCIATION CRIME STATES SEPT. 2016

As usual, about 50% of theft from vehicles was on Studewood and White Oak in and around commercial areas and they are as likely to occur at lunchtime as at night.

We had one breaking and entering (3500 block of Micheaux), one robbery (2100 block of White Oak, 7pm Wednesday Oct. 12th), one assault (1500 block of White Oak, 9pm Monday Oct. 10th), and one vehicle theft (1000 block of Merrill, Oct. 8th).

Most assaults and robberies occur in the commercial areas on the outer boundaries of our neighborhood.  While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600-3700 blocks of North Main. We remind you to please be aware of your surroundings when you are in the commercial areas that surround our neighborhood.

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.  Do not hesitate to call Precinct One for something that doesn’t look right.  Our deputies want you to err on the side of calling things in. Our neighborhood is huge and you can help direct our deputies to suspicious activity.

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 October 2016 here is some of their activity:

Number Activity
15 Traffic stops, resulting in 1 citation. The deputies have radar and use it to monitor speeds in areas where there are complaints.
18 Suspicious person/vehicle call responses. This number increased substantially from recent months, and I view that as a good sign because people are calling in things that don’t look right. Please do not hesitate to call dispatch as this is the most effective way to utilize and engage our deputies.
15 Times they stopped to check something in the parks.
116 times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
12 House alarm responses (happily all were false or cancelled alarms).
17 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues and calls about speeding; various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief; stranded and abandoned vehicles and truancy.
38 “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
VP-Security WHCA
November 28, 2016

Constable Patrol: Data for September 2016 by Guest User

Newsletter readers: To view the charts please select the article title to read this article on the WHCA website.

The Constable Patrol operates on a fiscal year ending March 31. Through mid-October, we have approximately 395 subscribers, and 460 are needed to make two shifts sustainable long-term. We recently reached out to the neighborhood to get people to join for the second half of the year, and in the first two weeks of that, picked up about 15 new members. Hopefully more will respond this fall. You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol.

Woodland Heights Civic Association Crime States Sept. 2016

As usual, about 50% 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 (800 block of Usener) and one burglary of a residence (500 block of Teetshorn).        

The robbery occurred in the 2500 block of Norhill shortly after midnight, Thursday, September 15.   While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600-3700 blocks of North Main. In July things calmed down a bit in that area, but picked up in August and September. Please be aware of your surroundings when you are in the commercial areas that surround our neighborhood.

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. Do not hesitate to call Precinct One for something that doesn’t look right. Our deputies want you to err on the side of calling things in. Our neighborhood is huge, and you can help direct our deputies to suspicious activity.

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 September 2016 here is some of their activity:

Number Activity
11 Traffic stops, resulting in 3 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;
3 Suspicious person/vehicle call responses (please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right. I will take it as a good sign that these calls were significantly down in July, but this is the most effective way to direct our Constables to unusual activity).
16 Times they stopped to check something in the parks.
88 Times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
6 house alarm responses (happily all were false or cancelled alarms and none involved my cats).
9 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues and calls about speeding; various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief; stranded and abandoned vehicles and truancy.
49 “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.

If you have any questions about the Constable Patrol please contact Steve Howard through the WHCA contact page.

See Something, Say Something Campaign by Guest User

The Greater Northside Management District, in cooperation with the Office of State Representative Jessica Farrar, has put together the attached document which provides a valuable list of phone numbers for various City of Houston and law enforcement departments and store fronts. Download the document.

Constable Patrol: July 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 August, we have approximately 380 subscribers, and 460 are needed to make two shifts sustainable long-term. We will make a push in September to get people to join for the second half of the year, and I’m hopeful we will ultimately meet our long-term targets. You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol.

WHCA Crime Report

Around 50% 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 (800 block of Studewood) and two burglaries of residences (300 block of Pecore and 3300 block of Beauchamp).

The assault consisted of a threat made in the 700 block of Woodland. Robberies occurred in the 2600 block of White Oak at 3:01 am on a Tuesday, and the 900 block of Studewood at 7:49 pm on a Saturday. While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600 block of North Main. In July, things calmed down a bit with only a few car break-ins in that area of North Main. Please be aware of your surroundings when you are in the commercial areas that surround our neighborhood.

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. Do not hesitate to call Precinct One for something that doesn’t look right. Our deputies want you to err on the side of calling things in. Our neighborhood is huge, and you can help direct our deputies to suspicious activity.

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 note it in their log so we have a general idea of their activities. Here is their activity for July:

Number Activity
22 Traffic stops, resulting in 6 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;
5 Suspicious person/vehicle call responses (please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right; I will take it as a good sign that these calls were significantly down in July, but this is the most effective way to direct our Constables to unusual activity).
13 Times they checked schools, businesses or parking lots
100 Times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
21 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
10 House alarm responses.
15 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues, various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief, stranded or abandoned vehicles.
22 “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.

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 nowIf 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

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

Constable Patrol: May 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. Membership renewals have lagged this year — approximately 120 members from last year have not renewed as of late June. Presently, we have approximately 355 subscribers, and 460 are needed to make two shifts sustainable long-term. If you have not renewed, please do. If membership does not increase, at some point in late 2016/early 2017 we will no longer have the available funds to support two patrols. You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol.

WHCA Crime Report

Theft from vehicles was largely in and around commercial areas and is as likely to occur at lunchtime as at night. While property theft was down, it is the time of year where we start to see an increase in theft of yard equipment and other crimes of opportunity involving things taken from yards, porches and open garages. Don’t leave valuable items unattended for even a brief period of time.

You may have seen news coverage of an increase in burglaries of restaurants and businesses. In May, four of our six burglaries were of non-habitat property (“buildings” but not habitations, according to the crime stats).

While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600 block of North Main. There was one in May, and an auto theft — please be aware of your surroundings when in that area.

While not reflected in the above statistics, the Constables made four arrests in the neighborhood in May — two for DWI (1000 block Highland 1:40 am, 1700 block White Oak 9:40 pm), one for drug possession (1100 E. 6 ½ 11:06 pm), and one resulting from a vehicle stop (1000 block of Studewood 11:53 pm).

Burglaries: residences 100 block of Vieux Carre and 800 block of Teetshorn, buildings (non-habitation) 2600 and 2300 blocks of White Oak, 800 block of Usener, 900 block Woodland.

Number Activity
17 Traffic stops, resulting in 17 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;
9 Suspicious person call responses (we average about 10 per month – please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right)
3 Drug/alcohol-related arrests: two DWI arrests and one drug possession; all occurring on the night shift.
9 Suspicious vehicle call responses
13 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
206 Number of times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
5 House alarm responses.
6 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues, various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief (?)
23 “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

Constable Patrol: April 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. Membership renewals have lagged this year – approximately 150 members from last year have not renewed as of late May.  If you have not renewed, please do. If membership does not increase, at some point we will no longer be able to support two patrols. You can also find information for membership on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol.

WHCA Crime Report

It is the time of year where we start to see an increase in theft of yard equipment and other crimes of opportunity involving things taken from yards, porches and open garages. Don’t leave valuable items unattended for even a brief period of time. Theft from cars continues to be the most common crime, many taking place in the parking lots of area businesses. Please don’t leave valuables in your vehicle.

While not in the neighborhood, most months we see one or more assaults or robberies in the 3600 block of North Main. There is no particular pattern that I see – just be aware of your surroundings when in that area.

The City is using a new crime reporting service which provides limited detail regarding types of theft. Starting in March, if it isn’t theft from a vehicle, it is classified as “other” which typically includes non-breaking and entering type property theft. Burglaries: residence 3500 block of Michaux, building 3200 block of Houston Ave.; Auto Theft: 900 block of Pecore.

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 April 2016 here is some of their activity:

Number Activity
15 Traffic stops, resulting in 6 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;
8 Suspicious person call responses (we average about 10 per month – please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right)
8 Suspicious vehicle call responses
10 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
193 Number of times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
5 House alarm responses.
16 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues (11), various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief (5)
38 “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.

Constable Patrol: March 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, and we are in the midst of this year’s renewal campaign.  We recently sent a mailer to everyone in the neighborhood inviting you to support the Constable Patrol and the Civic Association.   You can also find information for this on the Woodland Heights webpage.  Please support the Constable Patrol.

WHCA Crime Report

It is the time of year where we start to see an increase in theft of yard equipment and other crimes of opportunity involving things taken from yards, porches and open garages. Don’t leave valuable items unattended for even a brief period of time. Theft from cars continues to be the most common crime, many taking place in the parking lots of area businesses. Please don’t leave valuables in your vehicle.

The City is using a new crime reporting service which provides limited detail regarding types of theft. Starting in March, if it isn’t theft from a vehicle, it is classified as “other” which typically includes non-breaking and entering type property theft. Assaults: 200 block of E. Woodland (of family member), 800 block of Studewood; Burglaries: residence 2500 block of White Oak, residence 900 block of Byrne; Auto Theft: 600 block of Byrne.

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 March 2016 here is some of their activity:

Number Activity
16 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;
8 Suspicious person call responses (we average about 10 per month – please do not hesitate to call about something that does not look right)
2 Responses to calls about (door to door) solicitors (we usually have 8-10 per month).
8 Suspicious vehicle call responses
12 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
152 Number of times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
5 House alarm responses.
6 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues (2), various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief (4)
32 “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.

Constable Patrol: February 2016 by Guest User

We recently sent a mailer to everyone in the neighborhood inviting you to support the Constable Patrol and the Civic Association. You can also find information for this on the Woodland Heights webpage. Please support the Constable Patrol. To read this month's crime report please click the link below to read the story on the WHCA Website.

Read More

Constable Patrol: January 2016 by Guest User

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

We see a spike in crime every December. For January, theft from vehicles accounted for 10 of the 14 reported crimes. Please don’t leave valuables in your car – especially at local businesses. Burglaries: residence 1400 block of Wrightwood, residence 400 block of Teetshorn, building 800 block of Wendel.

WHCA Crime Statistics

The City of Houston lags in releasing summary monthly crime stats. To stay more current and to get details for our neighborhood, about once a week I monitor daily crime reports, and accumulate information to arrive at the crime data presented here. In mid-January, the city adopted a new service for crime reporting, CrimeReports. In some ways it’s better than what they had, but it is now too cumbersome for me to identify total monthly crimes for police beat 2A30. My reports will no longer compare our WHCA data to the entire police beat 2A30 that includes WHCA and the Heights.

WHCA Constable Patrol Statistics

We remind everyone for a crime in progress, please call 911 first, principally because we do not have 24/7 deputy coverage. 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.

The Constable Patrol operates on a fiscal year ending March 31. A few of you have already renewed for 2016/2017, and we will be starting our annual membership campaign in March.  Please continue to support the Constable Patrol.

Our deputies are motivated to keep the neighborhood safe. One lap around the perimeter of our neighborhood is a bit over 3 miles, and there are approximately 2,500 homes, so there is a lot of ground to cover. Feedback from you is an important tool, so please do not hesitate to call Precinct One if you see something that doesn’t seem right.

Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood, and remain through their shift, unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. The deputies spend their shift cruising the neighborhood.  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 January 2016 here is some of their activity:

Number Activity
17 Traffic stops, resulting in 5 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; the stops this month were throughout the neighborhood, with the majority being on Bayland and Studewood.
10 Suspicious person call responses.
2 Responses to calls about (door to door) solicitors (we usually have 8-10 per month).
10 Suspicious vehicle call responses (plus 2 abandoned vehicle calls).
41 Number of times they stopped to check something in the parks (mostly along White Oak, Stude and Usener).
205 Number of times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood (not otherwise included in these statistics).
9 House alarm responses.
8 Miscellaneous: responses to traffic issues (2), various disturbances/loud noise, gunshots, mischief (5), investigating open door (1)
75 “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.

If you have any questions please get in touch.

Steve Howard
WHCA, Security
security@woodland-heights.org

Constable Patrol: November 2015 by Guest User

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

Theft from vehicles was down for November, but please don’t leave valuables in your car especially at local businesses. The City of Houston lags in releasing summary monthly crime stats. To stay more current and to get details for our neighborhood, about once a week I monitor daily crime reports and accumulate the data to arrive at the report presented here.

WHCA Crime Statistics

WHCA Compared to Entire HPD Beat 2A30

We remind everyone for a crime in progress please call 911 first principally because we do not have 24/7 deputy coverage. 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 are motivated to keep the neighborhood safe though one lap around the perimeter of our neighborhood is a bit over 3 miles so there is a lot of ground to cover. Feedback from you is an important tool so please do not hesitate to call Precinct One if you see something that doesn’t seem right.

Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood and remain through their shift unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. The deputies spend their shift cruising the neighborhood.  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 November 2015 here is some of their activity:

Constable Patrol Activity

Constable Patrol: October 2015 by Guest User

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

Theft from vehicles is the most prevalent crime. Please don’t leave valuables in your car — 6 parking lot thefts this month were at local businesses equally split between bars and restaurants. Auto thefts in the 200 block of W Norma and 1000 block Euclid; robbery at business in 3200 block of Houston Ave. The City of Houston lags in releasing summary monthly crime stats. To stay more current and to get details for our neighborhood, about once a week I monitor daily crime reports, and accumulate the data to arrive at the crime data presented here.

HPD Beat 2A30 – Stats for WHCA Area

WHCA vs. Entire 2A30 HPD Beat

Constable Report

We remind everyone that for a crime in progress, please call 911 first, principally because we do not have 24/7 deputy coverage. 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. The most consistent feedback I get from our deputies is that they want us to call if we see something that doesn’t seem right. So don’t hesitate to call.

Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood, and remain through their shift, unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. The deputies spend their shift cruising the neighborhood. 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 October 2015 here is some of their activity:

Constable Patrol Log for Oct. 2015

Constable Patrol: September 2015 by Guest User

Crime and Constable Patrol Statistics for September 2015

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

As always, theft from vehicles is the most prevalent crime. Please don’t leave valuables in your car – 4 parking lot thefts this month were at local businesses. For September: Auto theft in the 900 block of Ridge. Burglaries of construction site in the 800 block of Usener, and residence in the 500 block of Redan. The City of Houston is usually months behind in releasing monthly crime stats. To stay more current, about once a week I monitor daily crime reports, and accumulate the data to arrive at the crime data presented here.

Crime Stats

HPD Beat 2A30 (Stats for WHCA area only)

Crime – WH vs. Beat 2A30

Stats only for the month of Sept. 2015

WHCA Constable Patrol Statistics

Our permanent night shift deputy and his new police dog are back to full-time duty in our neighborhood. We remind everyone that for a crime in progress, please call 911 first, principally because we do not have 24/7 deputy coverage. 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.

The most consistent feedback I get from our deputies is that they want us to call if we see something that doesn’t seem right. They are happy to sort it out, and don’t want us failing to call about something because we aren’t sure whether it is significant enough to warrant their attention.

Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood, and remain through their shift, unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. The deputies spend their shift cruising the neighborhood. When they stop to look at something or take some action, they keep a log, so we have a general idea of their activities.

Constable Patrol Log

Data per Constable's Log Books

Constable Patrol: August 2015 by Guest User

(If you're viewing this story in our newsletter please visit the WHCA website to view graphs.)

Crime statistics

As always, theft from vehicles is the most prevalent crime. Please don’t leave valuables in your car.

The City of Houston is usually 3 or more months behind in releasing monthly crime stats. To stay more current, about once a week I monitor daily crime reports, and accumulate the data to arrive at the crime data presented here.

WH Crime report

WH vs. Entire 2A30 Beat

For August: Robbery of business 2700 block of Houston Avenue. Auto thefts in the 2400 block of White Oak and the 1100 block of Usener.

Constable Patrol Statistics

Our permanent night shift deputy has completed the 8 week training of his new police dog and we are pleased to welcome his return to duty in our neighborhood. We remind everyone that for a crime in progress, please call 911 first, principally because we do not have 24/7 deputy coverage. If our deputies are on duty, they should be monitoring those calls, though you can also call Precinct One dispatch after calling 911.

Our deputies come to work in our neighborhood, and remain through their shift, unless they are called to respond to a nearby contract. The deputies spend their shift cruising the neighborhood. When they stop to look at something or take some action, they keep a log, so we have a general idea of their activities.

  • 46 traffic stops, resulting in 11 citations, (the deputies have radar and use it to monitor speeds in areas where there are complaints about speeding, and they do strictly enforce speeds in school zones; the stops are throughout the neighborhood, but about half were on Studewood, Bayland, Watson and White Oak)
  • 2 arrests (both drug related, in the 600 and 1100 blocks of Omar)
  • 3 responses to criminal mischief
  • 11 suspicious person call responses
  • 8 suspicious vehicle call responses
  • 106 times they stopped to check something in the parks (especially along White Oak)
  • 270 times they stopped to check something in the neighborhood
  • 6 house alarm responses (it’s been 4 months since my cat set off the alarm)
  • 2 disturbance/loud noise complaint investigations
  • 32 “Meet the Citizen” – this is basically a conversation with a member of the neighborhood in a fashion that’s not covered above,  (e.g., to introduce themselves or 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.