Don't Forget Creek Week!

Hi all,

It's that beautiful time of year again to enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate our local natural spaces and waterways. Creek Week is coming up and we could really use your help on Saturday, April 18th to do a little Jan Park Clean-Up for Creek Week activities. We'll meet in the park at 8:00 a.m. and finish by 11 a.m. so that everyone has a chance to get over to Carmichael Park for the free hot dogs, T-shirts, and fun activities for the kids to thank you for helping out. I know it's a busy time of year, so we understand if you have other obligations, but any help, even a 1/2 hour, would be wonderful.

Please bring gardening/work gloves, weeding tools, trash bags, and make sure you have sun protection with you (hat and/or sunscreen). We are so looking forward to sprucing up the park, and showing our community and Carmichael Recreation and Park District how much we care about our beautiful outdoor space! Please give me call or email with any questions, and invite your neighbors and friends!!

Check out the Creek Week website for a list of tons of activities all week long for the whole family!

http://saccreeks.org/


Thanks so much and have a wonderful warm weekend :)

Carmen

After Hours Park Entry Reported

Just wanted to remind people that we keep track of and report anyone who enters the park after hours, and would really appreciate your help in reporting these activities to the Sheriff's Dept, and let me know so I can keep a log for the CRPD folks. More reports means more patrols, and allows me to keep a list so I can prove to CRPD that we have a need for their very limited resources for ranger patrols.

The most recent reported individuals have been wandering the park around 7:30-7:45 p.m. with flashlights and parking near the service entrance in an F250 white truck, and had an additional car (silver 4-dr sedan pontiac?). We have the license plates and have reported the entry into the sheriff's dept and the CRPD folks.

Please feel free to let me know if you observe any suspicious behavior or off hour entry into the park, or have any questions about other behaviors reported. We just want to make sure that people feel safe, the park is being utilized and appreciated for the enjoyment of the public in a respectful and lawful manner, and we very much would like to curb vandalism, trash dumping, graffiti, and other nuisance issues in our lovely park. Thank you to everyone for caring and keeping the park beautiful for everyone!

Graffiti at Jan Park

Morning friends,

In the last week there has been a large amount of spray paint graffiti showing up at Jan Park that is so disconcerting to all of us who have spent so much time and effort working hard to make this park happen, and keep it clean and safe. The Carmichael Recreation and Park District have been amazing at helping us clean this up, but we'd really like to see if we can get the neighborhood out to show these vandals that we're here, we're watching, and we care. So please take a chance to drive by the park on your way to and from work, report suspicious activity of any sort, and perhaps walk the park with your dogs or kids when you can. We also have some street coordinators and BHNA leaders who would like to organize some evening walks just before dark through the park to help protect our lovely resource. If you are interested at all in evening walks with your neighbors, please feel free to do so with your closest neighbors, or email me and we can put together a list of people who might like to loosely organize.

Very Important to Note: Please be safe, walk in groups, do not engage people who are suspicious or are carrying out a crime, and be cautious. Our goal is to present a presence in the park, not to have vigilante behavior or for anyone to put themselves in harm's way.


Graffiti won't stand at Jan Park!

Thank you so much everyone for being part of the solution and caring about the park :)

Quick reminder:

The next Sheriff's meeting is November 18th-save the date and share with our POP officers that we need help!!

Mark Your Calendars! Park Clean-Up Day coming soon!

Hi neighbors,

Please give us a hand and keep our park clean, plus show the park district that we really care about our park and our neighborhood by showing up to help us out on September 13th. My husband and I will have a table out at the service entrance on Jan Drive with water, coffee to perk you up in the morning, and perhaps a little snack to keep us going. It's so important that we show up and make our presence known to CRPD-let them see how much we love Jan Park! 

I know everyone's really busy, but if you can even show up for an hour to help out, it would be so appreciated. Thank you so much and please please give me a call or email if you have any questions or can help!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - ADOPT A PARK - Scheduled for Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 8am-11am. Meet on site at the below designated parks:

 

Patriots Park

O'Donnell Park

Jan Park

 

You are welcome to pick up trash at all other district parks if you choose to do so! We would certainly appreciate it!

 

Don't forget to bring water, gloves, and rakes.

 

Tracy Kerth

Recreation Services Manager

Carmichael Recreation and Park District

5750 Grant Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608

(916) 485-5322 x23

 

Parks Make Life Better!

www.carmichaelpark.com

Suspicious behavior, loitering in the park, vandalism/graffiti, dumping, and alcohol/drug use at Jan Park

I am very sorry to report friends and neighbors that with the warm weather comes problems in the park. As many of you have seen, we had a very sad experience of having graffiti sprawled all over our rock park signs and the new message board at the Slate/Jan entrance recently. With a lot of work and care by the Carmichael Recreation and Park District folks, much of it has been cleaned up, but I know it was an upsetting shock for many of us.

I also wanted to let everyone know that a recent request to the Carmichael Recreation and Park District was made and performed to remove a park table and bench set from the far end near Ranger Way due to excessive use of the table as a "hang out" space for young adults who were habitually dumping trash from cars, using alcohol and drugs, communicating about future drug deals, and entering the park after hours. Several calls were made to the Sheriff's Dept regarding this activity (one of the individuals lives in the neighborhood), and we hope that the removal of the table will reduce the congregating for less than pleasant purposes :) As always, please call the non-emergency Sheriff's Dept number to report activity of this type, and let us know here so we can report repeated activity to the Carmichael Park District to request a ranger.

I also wanted to copy here a recent post from one of our neighbors from Nextdoor.com:

https://lincolnbarretthills.nextdoor.com/neighborhood_feed/

6/24/2014:
Came out to find a white woman early 30s and a Hispanic man in 30s as we'll, with totes, crates, mounds of trash and what appears to be household items in boxes and packages. Most of there stuff piled on sidewalk, as the lady tried to stuff several things into a very jammed trunk, to which she couldn't get the lid closed as it spilled over, with trash sitting on curb. While she feverishly worked on jamming this stuff, the gentlemen suspiciously walked down the sidewalk, with head looking nervously in every direction, and out of the park towards Manzanita and neighborhood on far side of jan park. He came back shortly later carrying two brown bags with what looked to be empty milk cartoons and a white rod. He asked if I had a problem and I said "yes, actually I do!" I told him and her I was tired of people pulling into neighborhood and leaving piles of trash. I said I've never seen them in our neighborhood and their behavior was very suspicious that time of the day. She said she would find a trash can. The whole thing was bazaar, and it truly looked like they had either grabbed stuff out of garages or had been dumpster diving. I drove down the block and parked and 10 minutes later they passed me. They did take their trash with them but beware about leaving garage doors open. Lots of questionable activity when lots of us our rushing out the door to work and easily distracted and in a hurry.



We need your help making sure we keep the park safe by being a part of the Jan Park Watch. Please report here, via email to Olivia or Carmen, or on Nextdoor any suspicious behavior or signs of vandalism, camping, loitering, drug/alcohol use in the park and be sure to contact the Sheriff's Dept. on the non-emergency number 874-5115 or 911 for crimes in progress. If we all are active, present, and responsive, we know that we can keep our neighborhood clean, safe, and beautiful for all of us to enjoy. Thanks so much to everyone for caring and taking the time to be great neighbors!

Lots of updates!

Greetings all and happy Memorial Day weekend!

I hope you all are out enjoying the neighborhood, and getting your summer rituals of barbeque, sitting poolside, gardening, and fun in the sun in full gear. Just wanted to pass on some recent notes from the last Sheriff's Community Meeting at Del Campo (thank you to everyone who goes to these meetings and make our presence known), a recent experience in Jan Park, give you some info on a family friendly day with the Sac Sheriff's Dept., and let you all know about a new way of keeping in touch that our local law enforcement use.

Jan Park Animal Control

Thursday morning a cat was attacked and most of it's insides eaten , then a skunk was spotted by the bathrooms in the same condition. We are not sure what happened to theses animals, but be aware when walking in park. If you see anything out of the ordinary call the non-emergency number  874-5115. Hopefully this a one time thing, but be careful especially around dark. 

Thank you to many of our street coordinators and active neighbors (including BHNA officers) for sharing this information.


Nextdoor and other Important Ways to Connect

https://lincolnbarretthills.nextdoor.com/news_feed/

I know there are so many ways to keep up with the neighborhood and so many different social media options that it can easily get overwhelming. We will continue to do our best to keep you connected with the most important safety information here at the blog, but always want to offer our readers the opportunity to connect with each other and the community in different ways. Nextdoor is a website where you can directly connect to updates from the Sacramento Sheriff's Dept. and other neighborhoods in our area, and offers a wide variety of topics to connect with fellow neighbors about. We also have a Facebook account that we keep updated with Sacramento Sheriff's posts, County updates, utilities commentary, local shelters, and other pertinent information. You can connect to the Facebook page by clicking the link on the top left sidebar, or hit this link:

https://www.facebook.com/LincolnBarrettNeighborhoodWatch?ref=hl

While we are chatting about social media and websites, don't forget the 311 is now in use and able for you to utilize. Simply call the 311 number to report county ordinance infractions or get help for a variety of concerns. You can even download their smart phone app to make reporting easier!

http://www.311.saccounty.net/Pages/default.aspx



Fun For the Family with Sacramento Sheriff's Dept!

Subject: SHERIFF'S COMMUNITY EVENT SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 10am-2pm AT GIBBONS PARK

Hi... Sometime during the week of May 25th, Sheriff's Youth Officers will be
stopping by your school to introduce themselves and to drop off some fliers
promoting a Sheriff's Department event.  You can quickly read about the
details below or simply click on the Gibbons Park  flyer attached to this
email.

I also wanted to let you know the Sheriff's Youth Services Unit is working
with the Carmichael Recreation and Park District to sponsor a summer
basketball program for 5th-8th grade students.  Details about this FREE
program is attached as well.

We are looking for any assistance you can give us in promoting each of these
programs via morning announcements, on your Facebook page or other web-based
medium, etc.

If you have any questions about either flyer, feel free to email back or
call me on my cell (916) 730-5111 (Not for public use).

Thanks so much and I hope to see you next week.

Mike

Deputy Michael Saigeon
Youth Services Unit
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department


__________________________________________________________________________

Unity In The Community
Sunday, June 1st, 2014
10:00am - 2:00pm

Gibbons Park
4701 Gibbons Dr, Carmichael, CA

. Free BBQ Lunch
. Bounce Houses
. Face Painting
. Finger Printing
. Crime Prevention
. Dept. Recruiters
. Youth Service Officers
. POP Officers

Bring your whole family to this community picnic event and meet Sheriff
Jones and other Sheriff 's Department personnel.

See demonstrations and static
displays by the Sheriff 's K9 Unit,
Air Operations, SWAT Team,
Bomb Squad and much more.

Notes from the Sac Sheriff Community Meeting for May:

1.       New POP (public oriented policing) is : Rebecca Purdy  rpurdy@sacsheriff.com   Dennis Peyton has been assigned to the Antelope area

2.       Homeless issue discussed once again.  Bel Air parking lot, Safeway parking lot, Save Mart parking lot and others mentioned where the person(s) are disturbing the community residents while they are shopping.  The POP stated that effective June 15, 2014  there will be a new county ordinance regarding panhandling .  This activity will no longer be permitted and it will be a treated as a misdemeanor.

3.       County residents may no longer grow marijuana on their property effective June 15, 2014.

4.       Sacramento County Sheriff is requesting those homeowners with outdoor video systems to please register them with the Sheriff’s Department.  The video recordings could possibly be used to assist in capturing the perpetrator of a crime.

5.       Sacramento Sheriff joined Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com) on May 15, 2014.  This is a private social network for neighborhoods to build safer and stronger communities.  This integration will enable the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department to communicate online with Sacramento neighborhoods.

Next Community Meeting will be on September 16^th, 6 pm at Del Campo H.S. library.

Increase of After Hours Entry/ Parking

Just a reminder to let everyone know that Jan Park is closed after dusk, and we ask that neighbors contact the Sheriff's non-emergency number for entry into the park after hours. There has been a number of incidences of cars being targeted for theft, breaking and entering, and vandalism which we are determined to try and fight back against by reporting suspicious behavior of this sort. I know that the warmer nights and spring break timing tends to increase our young adult quotient around the park, but we would appreciate making sure neighbors feel safe, and that includes reporting entry into the park after hours and "parking" behavior that can be connected potentially to illegal behavior. If you know of folks who may not be aware of the open hours of the park, please pass this information on as you see fit :)

Remember when calling the Sheriff's Dept. for any reason, to speak clearly and answer their questions completely, identify yourself as a member of your street's neighborhood watch, describe the behavior or actions you are reporting thoroughly with as much detail as you can, and if you would like officers to contact you when they respond, you can ask that the dispatcher place a note to be called by the responding officer.

Thank you for your help all, and have a wonderful evening.

Pay attention to your mail-Carmichael Recreations and Park District Funding Measure

Good morning all,

By now you may have received a ballot from the Carmichael Recreation and Park District about a new funding measure that they would like homeowners in this area to vote on. Take a look at a few links to find out more about the ballot measure, and please do take the time to vote and let your voice be heard, whether you agree or disagree with the measure's request.

What is it? http://carmichaelpark.com/new-funding-measure/

FAQ about the measure: http://carmichaelpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf

Poster with more info: http://carmichaelpark.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/To-Improve-Maintain-and-Secure-Our-Parks1.pdf

Recent Vehicle Break-ins and After Hours Activity in Jan Park

Good morning all,

We just wanted to let you all know that unfortunately we had two vehicle break-ins on Marble Way on February 18th in the evening sometimes. Valuable items were stolen from the vehicles, and may have been why these cars were targeted. Please be very careful to not leave valuables in your cars, and as always, report any suspicious behaviors, sounds, etc to the non-emergency sheriff's number, of to 911 if a crime is in progress.

We also wanted to let everyone know that there have been a number of instances recently with young adults in the park after hours being loud, bringing alcohol and other substances into the park, graffitti and vandalism, and parking in front of neighbors homes to carry on these behaviors late at night. There has also been suspicious movements of cars with young adults transferring between cars and hand offs that look to be possible narcotics related activities toward the far northern corner of Jan Drive, near Slate and Ranger Way in the late afternoons. Please be aware of these activities, report anything out of the ordinary, and do make sure to remind your young adults in the home that the park is closed after dusk and neighbors do contact the Sheriff's Dept. for after hours entry.

If we all do our best to support each other, report suspicious activity, be aware and make it known that we are watching, criminals will take their interests elsewhere.

Thank you to all of you excellent folks out there doing your best to keep our neighborhood safe!

Neighborhood Alert= BB shot/sling shot driveby-broken car windows and teens in park after dark

Greetings all, Congratulations to our neighborhood groups that celebrated National Night Out this past Tuesday-what a great turnout for our first year participating! We had several officers from the Sacramento Sheriff's Dept. and the local CHP come out to celebrate with the community, and lots of good food and good chats. Thank you to everyone who made it out to show our support in keeping our streets safe!


 A recent occurrence on Thursday night/ Friday morning was reported to us on Jan Drive near the park, where a car window was broken by a BB gun. Please keep your lights on, report any suspicious activity, and keep an eye out for your neighbors.


 We also have a report tonight at 11:20 p.m. of teenagers in the park past open hours, congregating under the light attached to the flag pole. This is a common area for after hours activity and we see a consistent presence of graffiti on benches in this area. Please be aware and tell your family and friends that the park is closed after dusk, and all entry after hours will be reported to the Sheriff's Dept. Wishing you all a great night!

Fire in the park and Deer Sightings

Good morning all,

We just wanted to let everyone know that a brush fire had emergency response crews out here yesterday early evening around 6 p.m. Thanks to the quick and effective communication of neighbors in the area, firefighters were out to put out the flames quickly. The flames stayed low and burned slowly due to all the hard work our Park District crews and volunteers from around the neighborhood have done to keep the brush levels under control throughout the park, particularly around walkways, roadsides, and near the playground. We're so thankful for the help of our local fire crews, the Carmichael Recreation and Park District, and neighbors like you. As an added bonus, because the fire burned in such a controlled manner, look to this area next spring to see some spectacular wildflower blooms, since the native plants of the Sacramento Valley are well adapted to fire, and actually thrive best in spaces where the non-natives are removed through natural means like low temp brush fires.

As a serious reminder, please be very very careful with smoking in the park, and don't be afraid to let others know how easy it is for fires to start from a discarded cigarette. We're all responsible for the safety of our community, and fire is a serious danger we can learn more about how to prevent. For more info on fire safety, visit Calfire's website at http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_outsidehome.php

We still have beautiful large mammal wildlife visitors in the park and are being asked by our local Fish and Wildlife officials to be very careful in maintaining our distance, keeping all dogs on a leash, and appreciating our local fauna by driving slowly in the area, and being mindful of their presence. A doe and her two fawns were recently spotted around noon off of Lincoln Ave. so please be very careful when driving through the neighborhood.

Keeping Up Appearances

This is part of our reports to Carmichael Recreation and Park, as well as other enforcement entities that help us enjoy our neighborhood and park. Keep calling in suspicious behavior and reporting vandalism to the Sheriff's Dept. Keep being involved and taking an active approach to safety, and we'll keep doing our best to share everything we can with our local helpful agencies. Thanks so much to all our neighbors!

Item	Description	Action Taken	Status
1	Graffiti (photos attached)	We’ve cleared most of the graffiti last week and again this weekend.	Done – No Action Needed
2	Jan Drive dry vegetation cleared	BHNA went out this Saturday to clean out the vegetation along Jan Drive—looks good	Need Help  – Piles on Jan Drive
3	Picnic Tables under shade – someone used some type of salts and spread the salts on tables.	I called the maintenance shop to report several items last Monday, this being one of them. I called to see if there was a way to connect a water hose to clean the salts off. I checked the tables this weekend, the salts are still there and there is now rust on the tables.	Need Help – Need to clean tables and paint over rust (I already purchased the paint for the tables). Do we need to sand tables first?
4	Drinking fountain clogged (medium)	I called last Monday to report. One of the neighbors tried to unclog drain but the medium drain is still clogged. There is standing water in the medium fountain.	Need Help -  Need to unclog fountain.

Update on black-tailed deer in Jan Park

(previous title was altered since black-tailed deer are a subspecies of mule deer found in the Pacific Northwest)

Greetings all,

I am working to make contact with the correct agencies and make sure that we are doing everything we can to help the female deer currently residing in Jan Park, however the current information we are receiving is that unless the deer is showing aggression towards humans or pets, or is causing structural damage to property, California Fish and Wildlife will not relocate the animal due to the potential stress on the animal.

To this end, it's extremely important that we educate everyone in our area in how best to handle living peacefully with a wild animal.

First and foremost, it is extremely important to never engage or approach a wild animal, or allow your pets to do so by allowing them off leash. Close proximity puts you, your loved ones, and the animal in significant danger, and is illegal according to fish and game code Div 4. 3960. It also illegal in the state of California to feed mule deer, so please do not under any circumstances try to feed this animal, even in a passive manner. 

The following information is from the CAFWS website http://www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/deer.html:

When you attract deer to your property, you may also be attracting mountain lions. More than half of California is considered deer habitat. And where there are deer, there are mountain lions. That’s because deer are the mountain lion’s primary prey. Allowing deer access to your garden and landscaping, or intentionally feeding deer, can be deadly. Wild animals naturally fear people, keep a distance, and will not bother you, so long as they remain truly wild. But if they become accustomed to humans, their natural ways are ruined. Their normal wildlife and fear of humans is lost. That’s when conflict occur. Never intentionally feed deer. Landscape with deer-resistant plants. Enclose gardens with eight-foot fencing or use deer-proof fencing. Pick up fallen tree fruit. Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house and garden. Consider using commercially prepared deer repellents (available at garden supply stores.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are doing our best to make sure the Carmichael Recreation and Park District are aware of the deer's presence, and to continue to report to the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife any changes in the deer's location or behavior, so please report any unusual behavior by the animal to California Fish and Wildlife Service Northern Central Region  Main Office    1701 Nimbus Road    Rancho Cordova, CA 95670    (916) 358-2900    FAX: (916) 358-2912 Sales Hours    8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.    Monday - Friday Email the North Central Region Regional Manager: Tina Bartlett Please be safe and spread the word. Wild animals should be left wild!

Deer in Jan Park-Please Do Not Approach

Greetings all,

We have had a sighting of a doe in Jan Park this morning, most likely foraging for food and following the water sources in this intense heat. Animal control has been called but cannot respond till at the earliest Monday so please, do not approach the animal or engage her in any way and make sure to keep your dogs on a leash in the park so as not to unnecessarily spook her. We will keep you updated about her conditions, but for now, let's be kind stewards to the local wildlife and watch her from afar. Please contact the County if you happen to see her outside of the park at 875-5000.

Stay cool today!

Need For Active Reporting

Good afternoon all,

We are continuing to have reports of cars having their windows removed, suspicious behavior, gas siphoning, garage doors vandalized, and seeing evidence of vandalism and graffiti in the park recently. Warm weather and kids being out of school statistically increases incident rates for these "petty" crimes,  which is why we really need everyone to report all acts of this nature to the Sheriff's Dept. so that they can increase their presence in the neighborhood. Time and time again, our local Sheriff POP officer and  the the local CHP POP officer have advised us clearly that decisions about where officers are going to spend their time daily depends on several factors, including the number of reported incidences in a given area. Although these crimes may seem insignificant, and there is understandable feelings that the Sheriff's can't/won't do anything about siphoned gas, or a kicked in garage door for instance, it's vital that we keep them aware of the problems we face, and that we stay vigilant so that activity levels don't increase to more substantial problems. When contacting local law enforcement, please provide them as much detail as possible about possible suspects, including physical descriptions, apparel, car license plates/make/model, and specifics of behavior. If you experience any negative behavior by dispatchers, stay calm, do your best to give them all relevant information, and report issues to POP officer Dennis Peyton at dpeyton@sacsheriff.com.

Some examples of vandalism reported recently:

Benches found piled on top of each other and in the wrong place on Sunday morning 5/19/2013. Almost a dozen youths were rousted from the park after dark the night before.

This is a serious concern as a fire hazard and trash in the area shows a large amount of cigarette butts and alcohol containers present.

This tagging has been found on trash cans within Jan Park and on several fire hydrants throughout the neighborhoods. We are contacting the appropriate people to find out if these are known gang related symbols and how to remove them from hydrants.

So, how do we battle this?

The most important thing we can do is be active, aware, and vigilant about reporting suspicious behavior and crimes in progress. Trust your instincts. You know who belongs in your area and what is "normal" activity in your neighborhood-do not be afraid to report something that just seems fishy. It is entirely up to all of us to determine the kind of place we want to live in and help local law enforcement be aware of our problems and concerns so that they can do their job. Don't assume that your neighbor will call. If something is wrong, be proactive and pick up the phone!

• Report ALL crimes in progress to 911
• Call the non-emergency number 916-874-5115 to report suspicious activity
• SOME SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES ARE. . . 
  Suspicious activities can refer to incidents, events, individuals, 
  or any activity that seems unusual or out of place. 
  
  
  Common suspicious activities include: 
  • A stranger loitering in your neighborhood 
  • A vehicle cruising the streets repeatedly 
  • Someone peering into cars or windows 
  • A high volume of traffic going to and coming from a home 
  on a daily basis 
  • Someone loitering around schools, parks or secluded areas 
  • Strange odors coming from a house or building 
  • Open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or 
  unoccupied residence 
  • Someone tampering with electrical, gas or sewer systems 
  without an identifiable company vehicle or uniform 
  • Sounds of breaking glass; gunshots; screaming or fighting 
  • Strangers removing license plates or loading valuables into 
  vehicles from a residence, even if the moving truck looks 
  legitimate   
  
  
  
  
• Please report any incidences, great or small to your street coordinator and alert Olivia or I so that we can keep a running log of occurrences in the area. We will be sure to respect your privacy at all times when sharing reports and by reporting to us and your neighborhood watch street coordinators what is going on, we can make sure we educate those around us, and get the attention of local law enforcement so they can act.

This our neighborhood and we love it. If we all work together and take an active approach to safety, there is nothing we can't do!!

Neighbor Alert

Reminder!

Jan Park closes at dusk. This includes for residents of this area. 

We certainly can't ask our law enforcement officials to come out and respond to calls only for non-residents. I have now had two run-ins with a silver SUV with young adults from Stoney Way. They're very polite and I very much appreciate their manners, but parking at the park at night and entering or hanging out in the car is often times behavior seen in more suspicious activities. I have no doubt these young adults are doing nothing wrong and are just looking for somewhere to hang out, but the park closes at dusk and the Jan Park Watch members are alert to goings on in and around the park. 

Thank you for understanding we are all dedicated to the message of Neighborhood Watch / Park Watch.

update: 3/11/13 3rd encounter with these individuals

8:08 p.m. Silver SUV car lic #5DNG784 asian male driver with one male passenger in their teens or early twenties. Passenger wearing a white plastic mask on face. Stoney Way speel again. Suspicious behavior level increasing with the repetition, parking in the same spot and seeming to be craning to look into neighbors front windows, and the mask. Will contact Sheriff immediately on next occasion.

Crime Report 2/22/13-Important Dates-Street Group Update

Good Morning All!

How's the beautiful weather treating you this week? While our mornings are brisk, the sunshine is wonderous in the afternoons- I think we are even going to get near 70 degrees Fahrenheit today! Remember you can look at more information for our area at crimereports.com and even use their mobile phone app for free for your iPhone or Android device. Not all types of crimes are listed on this website and some cases take more time than others to be released, but it's an excellent resource none the less.

Important Dates and Volunteer Time

* Remember that March 9th, starting at 8:30 a.m. is our Adopt-A-Park Day with the Carmichael Recreation and Park District. It's really important to show the Park District that we care about keeping our park safe and clean and appreciate the work they do every day to make it one of the jewels of our neighborhood. Please grab a hat and some work gloves and meet us out at the park two Saturdays from now to pitch in. Last time, we had around 10 volunteers and we'd love to show the CRPD what this neighborhood can do when we get the word out! If you'd like to donate water or snacks or lend us a folding table for a headquarters for that day, just let myself or Olivia know. I will definitely have my large water thermos out on our lawn for volunteer use, and make sure I've got some coffee made for those who might need a little kick start for the morning!

UPDATE: Thank you so much Tiffany for offering the use of a folding table-so appreciated! Anyone else who would like to bring something or help out, please just let us know :)

* The other important date to remember for March is when the Sacramento Sheriff's Department invites the community to come get updates from their POP officers and get some face to face time to discuss neighborhood concerns. You can attend this meeting at 6:00 p.m. March 19th (3rd Tuesday of every other month) at the Del Campo High Library.



View Larger Map

Street Group Updates!

Last, but not least, I just wanted to point out to members on Jan Drive's West Loop near Jan Park, that our page has been updated recently with the date and time of our next meeting. We will also be adding an agenda to our Jan Drive/Jan Park Watch street group page on the side bar of the blog sometime early next week.

Because Park Watch is designed through the National Crime Council to be taken on by primarily those neighbors in the immediate adjacent vicinity of a neighborhood park, but we don't have a lot of current active Street Watch groups on the Salmaan side of the park at this time, we would happily welcome anyone near the park, or neighbors that use the park who have safety requests, concerns, or questions to please attend this meeting as well. The more the merrier!

We also have happily had a request to add Rampart/Onyx, an excellent active street group, to our list of pages on the side and will look forward to hearing updates about their activities in the future. If you are a coordinator of a street group, we would love to add your group to our list and would be happy to update or share any information you would like us to with the local community. This is exactly what this blog is all about!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Comments/Tips for Loose Dog/Updates/Important Dates

Good morning all and Happy New Year!

I hope you all have had a wonderful, restful holiday season and are ready to start the new year healthy and happy. Let's get down to business, shall we?

More Tips On Avoiding Loose Dog Threats

I wanted to share with you some helpful advice from a neighbor and how she handles security for herself and her dog when she walks on Lincoln.

I read with interest the article about what to do about loose dogs.  As a small-dog walker, I am concerned about encountering unfriendly, loose dogs. As a precaution, I carry in my pocket a small combination flashlight/stun gun.  I believe the noise alone would deter any dog.....or human for that matter.  I walk on Lincoln and feel better with a little self defense with me.  I bought it at the Smoke Shop in the BelAir shopping center at Manzanita and Cypress.

I have also been in contact with  Sacramento County Animal Control and they have suggested to be very careful about considering the use of mace or pepper spray since both can blow back in your's or your dog's face fairly easily. They suggest to carry a pop-up umbrella with you as 1. a noise/movement deterrent or distraction to the charging dog and 2. as a physical object to put between you and the approaching dog. They also suggest carrying a walking stick or using a bag or purse as a shield between you and the oncoming dog. The key is to not trigger a chase or prey response in the attacking dog, since this can often escalate the situation. Looking big, using a deep voice, putting objects between you, protecting vital organs, and carrying something with you like the flashlight/stun gun or a walking stick, can help tremendously.

Neighborhood Watch Coordinators- Newsletters

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Newsletters have been printed in modest amounts and will be delivered starting at 10 a.m. on the January 6th. We could really use your help getting these out to streets not currently being served by a neighborhood watch group, so if you can volunteer to help with passing these out to the needed areas, we would be very grateful. Please contact Olivia to let her know you can help out at olymag at comcast dot net.

This is the map showing areas covered and where we need help passing out newsletters.

Jan Park Watch Update

Just a little thank you to Matt, Som and Rick for getting the Park Watch signs up on the Salmaan and Jan sides of the park, they look great!

Remember- Park Rangers have been assigned at sporadic times to check the park and will ticket for unleashed dogs, not cleaning up after your pet, entry into the park after dark, and other violations. This includes neighbors!

For more information on the county park ordinances, check this link here: http://www.carmichaelpark.com/pdf/Forms&Maps/county%20park%20ordiance.pdf

Adopt-A-Park Workday - Jan Park

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Meet at Jan Park on March 9th at 8:30 a.m. Keeping our park clean is a huge part of keeping it safe and comfortable for use by all of us, and requires more than the daily "walk by and pick it up" behavior I know we all try hard to employ on our every day outings. Please plan to help out for even a little bit-it means a lot to the Carmichael Park & Recreation District to have neighbors take responsibility of their park and be a part of keeping it beautiful. Since we do not collect any dues, we'll do our best to have a small snack and plenty of water to provide for our volunteers- we had close to 10 friends out on our last workday event and the CPRD staff were very grateful. Let's see if we can get 30 volunteers out this time!! :)

Sheriff's Dept Community Meeting - Carmichael

Meet your POP Officer and communicate your concerns, compliments, and recommendations at the Del Campo High School Library at 6:00 p.m. January 15th.

Neighborhood Watch Training for New Groups

To Be Determined (TBD) - Contact Sherrie Carhart for more information at 876-5717

Jan Park Watch Information from Carmichael Park District

Jan Park Watch Information

Your Safety is the Priority!

Never put yourself or others at risk—Do not intercede!
Park Watch only asks people to be alert, observant and caring. Contact the appropriate agency so action may be taken by the authorities to address the problem. The park closes at
 dusk.

How Do I Report What I See?

Please report activities as follows:

• To report a fire, medical emergency, or a crime in progress, call 911
• To report a suspicious person, vehicle or activity that concerns you, or to report a crime that has already been committed, call the Sacramento County Sheriff's non-emergency number at (916) 874-5115.
• To report maintenance emergencies that require immediate attention (water leaks, broken windows, broken or unsafe equipment), call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District Maintenance Division at (916) 481-0603 or (916) 487-6234 (Monday-Friday 6:30am-2:30pm and leave message). The After-Hours Emergency number at (916) 875-5000.
• For all other concerns, call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District Office at (916) 485-5322. (Monday-Friday 8:30-5pm)

Suspicious activities to watch for and report to the Sheriff's Department

Types of activities to watch for and report could include:

• Fighting or harassment
• Alcohol or illegal drug use
• Camping or park use after closing
• Motorized vehicles on park grounds
• Individuals vandalizing or defacing facilities or equipment
• Destruction of natural resources
• Selling, peddling or soliciting – prohibited, except during approved special events
• Amplified sound or loud music – except during approved special events
• Suspicious activity such as people peering in car windows, trying door handles, sitting in cars talking to passing children, or business transactions being conducted from a vehicle
• Any type of crime in progress or a crime that has already been committed, such as vehicle or building break-in

Activities to watch for and report to Maintenance Division

If immediate attention is necessary to address a maintenance issue, (water leaks, broken windows, broken or unsafe equipment), call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District Maintenance Division at (916) 481-0603 or (916) 487-6234 (Monday-Friday 6:30am-2:30pm and leave message). The After-Hours Emergency number at (916) 875-5000.

• Water leaks or running water - in public restrooms, fountains or broken sprinklers
• Broken or unsafe equipment
• Exterior lights not working
• Vandalism, such as graffiti (already occurred, please note location)
• If you see something that doesn't seem right, but it's not at the level you would contact the Sheriff's Department for, please call and leave a message at the district office (916) 485-5322. If necessary, staff will direct resources to address the issue or concern.

When You Call

A few things to keep in mind when you report information to the Sheriff's Department:

• Stay on the line and answer any questions from the 911 dispatcher
• Provide as much detail about the activity, individuals or vehicles (persons description, license plate numbers) involved if they can be safely determined
• Provide the name and address of the park you are calling from. Provide a detailed description of where the problem is located within the park using landmarks such as "near the playground" or "on Jan Drive"

Please Remember

All calls to the Sheriff's are prioritized. Priority is determined by the Sheriff's Department based on the availability of officers in proximity to the location and the number of other emergent calls received. Please do not expect an immediate response for non-emergency calls. All calls to the maintenance will be reviewed and addressed by staff during normal business hours, Mon. –  Friday.

Division Managers

Keith Maddison, Maintenance Services Manager - (916) 485-5322 x30

Tracy Kerth, Recreation Services Manager - (916) 485-5322 x23