Crime update 4.13.07

Notes from NONPAC

Highlights of the 8th District NONPAC meeting 4/12: Perhaps because crime in the French Quarter and the Marigny Triangle has been on the quiet side for most of the past month, only about 2 dozen residents turned out for last night's meeting. Just because crime has not been rampant recently is no reason to let your guard down--citizen attendance at these monthly meetings signals your interest in keeping your neighborhood safe and your support for the 8th District officers who are trying to do that.

Lt. Ed Selby, subbing for Capt. Edwin Hosli, along with the assistance of Quality-of-Life Officer Roger Jones, fielded these concerns:

Where are the cops?: One citizen questioned why she saw 9 officers (NOPD and State Police) congregating on one corner one evening on Bourbon Street. "Why aren't they on my block patrolling?" she wanted to know.

Lt. Selby said that shouldn't be happening because Capt. Hosli has a rule that there are to be 2 officers per block on the "Bourbon Promenade" (the glittery stretch of the street devoted to nightlife) in the evening. He said he would raise the issue with the captain and the head of the State Police contingent in the Quarter.

He noted that the district's 108 officers were "stretched thin" (though the 8th District showed the biggest decrease in crime in the past 4 weeks of all the city's NOPD districts).

Deploying officers on scooters, he said, should improve patrolling in the Quarter and Triangle , though only 10 are in operation due to a lack of funds (any philanthropists out there?). Scooters slowly patrolling neighborhoods gives the officers the ability to scan the scene around them and to make contact with residents, unlike officers in cars--which the lieutenant and residents alike--criticized for driving around with windows up and often on a cellphone. "I think it ought to be against the law for an officer to be driving while on a cellphone," Lt. Selby added.

Regarding complaints from citizens who said some officers seem indifferent to their requests for assistance, Lt. Selby suggested getting the officer's badge number or his car number and report it to the district's Public Integrity Officer, Lt. D.J. Albert, noting that citizens didn't have to give their name to lodge a complaint.

The district doesn't have enough officers or cars to patrol regularly, Lt. Selby said. "They have to go where the calls are." But he pointed out, "We do tell an officer who has to write a report, to park his car in an area where there's been trouble and write the report in his car--that gives us visibility there."

When it was noted that the latest rash of armed robberies were committed by perpetrators in illegally parked cars with temporary tags, Lt. Selby told residents who noted something suspicious to "call and let the police check it out." Then he went further and gave the audience his cellphone number--234-8072--and told them to "call me if see something that makes you uncomfortable." He joked "I wouldn't be crazy about a call at 2 a.m.--but I guess I could always put in for overtime."

Can you hear me now?: Voices clamored complaints about the noise level on Bourbon Street. "I work in the Quarter and I'm trapped in it with the noise--and it's getting worse," one woman stammered with emotion. Others echoed the ongoing problem that has vexed neighbors for years.

Ofc. Jones noted that the NOPD's enforcement efforts are hampered by a restraining order that prevents the police from shutting down a noisy establishment. The dispute centers around "what is too loud?" and the lack of equipment to measure decibel levels emanating from the clubs. Laws are on the books which prevent clubs from placing speakers outside an establishment or directing speakers toward the street from less than 8 feet away (one officer supposedly has been known to disconnect the wires from speakers found in violation).

Ofc. Jones said citizens can file noise complaints with the city health department by obtaining a form from Room IW04 at City Hall; he said he would soon have forms available at the 8th District station at Royal and Conti streets. He urged residents to call him on his cellphone at 201-1520 if they had an urgent complaint.

NOcrimeline noted: Lt. Selby noted that the 8th District is the only NOPD district with a conduit to its constituents like NOcrimeline. "We hope we've started a trend here--we wish all districts could put out information so eloquently."

Capt. Hosli and his staff have begun supplying timely reports as crimes occur so residents of the district have current information that can help them avoid becoming a victim.

The monthly NONPAC (New Orleans Neighborhood Policing Anti-Crime Council) meetings are held the SECOND Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Omni Royal Orleans hotel, 621 St. Louis St.

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Please forward this message to anyone interested in the safety of the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle. To be added to our mailing list, send your NAME and email address to: NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 4.10.07

Holiday mayhem

Busy Easter weekend: According to Sgt. Teri Meunier of the 8th District, these incidents kept the NOPD busy over the holiday weekend:

Robber $5.05 richer: A robber struck twice Saturday (3/7/07) morning, the first time at 6 a.m. in the 200 block of Burgundy Street and the other at 9:50 a.m. in the 900 block of Dauphine Street. Both victims were white males who work in the Quarter. Neither was seriously harmed.

In both cases, the men were on foot when grabbed by an unknown black male. In one case, the victim was pushed against his car and in the second, against a wall. He was given two $1 bills and a nickel by the first victim and took three $1 bills from the second victim's front pants pocket.

The same perpetrator is suspected in both robberies. He is described by the NOPD as:

• black male,
• 25-30 years old,
• tall,
• wearing blue jeans

(As a precaution, Sgt. Meunier suggests it might be wise to carry a few loose $1 bills just to placate a robber in a situation like this. Some folks carry a "throw"--a wad of blank paper wrapped by a real dollar bill or two and secured by a money clip--to throw on the ground in the case of a robbery to divert the robber.)

Purse snatching in parking garage: A couple returning to their parked car in the Wyndham Hotel parking garage at 3 a.m. Sunday (4/8/07) was accosted by a black female, 20-23 years old, who ran up and grabbed the woman's purse from her arm. The perpetrator then got into a gold 4-door vehicle and yelled to the driver (no description) to "drive!"

Battery by the river: A Gentilly area couple with two children were walking along the river on Sunday (4/8/07) just before 3 p.m . when an assailant jumped from the bushes and attacked them with an iron rod. He struck both parents and one of the children, who sustained minor bruises. Harbor Police and aquarium security personnel apprehended Roland Buckley, who appears to be a homeless person. He was charged with 3 counts of aggravated battery.

Gunshots, what gunshots?: Confusion still abounds over gunshots reported heard around 10 p.m. on 3/28/07 near Burgundy and Esplanade. Capt. Edwin Hosli of the 8th District has said he was told by NOPD personnel the noise came from a movie being filmed in that area.

But now another resident of the area says this is what she heard happened:

"A friend of mine and his acquaintance were walking down Burgundy. About a block in front of them, they saw what appeared to be a drug deal gone bad and one person was shot twice in the arm but not seriously injured. They asked the victim if he wanted them to call 911 or take him to the hospital. He declined, saying 'no cops', and took off before police arrived.

"This happened on 3/28/07, around 9 p.m. My friend related what he saw to the police, but apparently since they saw no victim, they filed no report."

Capt. Hosli's response to that second-hand report: "I find it hard to believe that the incident they described took place and I was not informed," pointing out, "If someone goes to any of the area hospitals with any type of gunshot or stab wound we are notified."

So, make believe or real life? If you see anyone with bandages on their arm, you might ask them what happened.

NONPAC meeting Thursday: For the latest on crime fighting in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle attend the NOPD 8th District's monthly NONPAC (New Orleans Neighborhood Policing Anti-Crime Council) this Thursday (4/12) at 5:30 p.m. at the Omni Royal Orleans hotel, 621 St. Louis St. (Same location the SECOND Thursday of every month.)

It will give you a chance to grill Capt. Hosli, the commander of the 8th District, and his lieutenants on crime problems in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle.

Be sure to come early--last month's meeting was filled to overflowing and had to be moved to the largest conference room in the Omni Royal. Your attendance will signal support for him and his officers as they try to solve our crime problems.

***

You are free to forward this message to anyone interested in the safety of the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle. To be added to our mailing list, send your name and email address to: NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

As always, your comments and suggests are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 4.7.07

Details on Norris robbery

Details on Norris robbery: Bond totaling $617,500 has been set for Gary Lindsey in the armed robbery 3/31/07 of Bill Norris at his home in the 1000 block of St. Philip Street. (Normally, we don't use the name of a victim unless it is general knowledge or the victim or family identifies him. Bill was identified as the victim by his son, Will.)

Lindsey, 38, whose last known address is 2925 St. Ann St., is charged with 15 offenses ranging from armed robbery with a firearm to assault and battery to numerous purse snatchings. A "show cause" hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to try him will be held 6/1/07 at 9 a.m. in Magistrate Court Section M1.

Will Norris and a neighbor identified as William Sullivan are credited for the apprehension of the alleged perpetrator who is suspected in as many as 20 similar robberies in the last two weeks. (Wouldn't it be nice if Crimestoppers awarded one of its $5,000 rewards retroactively to Sullivan for being instrumental in putting an end to this crime spree.)

Unlike the Times-Picayune's bungled story, here's what happened, according to the NOPD report:

"The son of the victim chased after the perpetrator and observed him getting into a black Mitsubishi Eclipse, 2 door, with a temp tag (which was parked at the intersection of St. Philip and Burgundy streets). The son flagged down a citizen and asked him to follow the vehicle. The Good Samaritan followed the perpetrator and called 911. He advised the dispatcher that he was behind the vehicle and gave each location
until NOPD units could flood the area.

"NOPD units followed the vehicle and attempted to stop the driver near the Lowe's on Elysian Fields. The driver refused to stop and led officers on a brief chase. The driver jumped out of the vehicle while it was still running in the area of Benefit and Touro streets. Officer Desmond Pratt and his partner Miquel Aubert chased the perpetrator on foot and apprehended him as he attempted to escape over a fence."

And all because two citizens chose to get involved.

What you can do: Once again, bold efforts by citizens led to the arrest of a perpetrator in a horrendous French Quarter crime. Similarly, the accurate description given by the Hubers after they were viciously mugged a month earlier aided in the apprehension of a suspect in their case and another case.

Bill's wife, Betty, who along with Bill were also victims of an armed robbery in January, points out that in both cases the perpetrators' cars were illegally parked close to an intersections and both cars had temporary paper tags. That highlights the need to be alert for things that are out of place, to be suspicious of unusual situations. Not every illegally parked car nor every car with temporary tags harbors thugs, but watch for them and if they look out of place in your neighborhood, call the police at 821-2222.

Unlike regular license plates with their easy-to-remember combination of 3 letters and 3 digits, these paper tags with 10 (?) digits and usually pasted in a rear tinted window are almost impossible to read or remember--a helpful disguise for a car being used in a crime. The police might do well to check cars with temporary tags, usually used on a car when it is sold. They'd have probable cause to stop them based on the number of cars with temporary tags used in recent robberies. And it's a rare used car that doesn't have some mechanical defect that has yet to be repaired, which would also give the police probable cause. Never know what or who they might find in that car.

Heard gunshots?: Reports of gunfire around 10 p.m. on 3/28/07 near Burgundy and Esplanade followed by 10 or so police cars swarming the area had neighbors alarmed. Turns out, according to 8th District Capt. Edwin Hosli, the commotion was all for the sake of a movie being filmed in the area. In a neighborhood already jittery from such things, it would be nice if the NOPD would alert residents to phony film incidents that shouldn't trigger alarm.

(Speaking of which, doesn't it strike you as curious that the head of the Homicide Division would be out protecting Brad Pitt's pitutti while he's making a movie, when in the meanwhile the murderer of Helen Hill is still running loose? Hopefully things will get better--he's since been replaced by Capt. Kevin Anderson, former commander of the 8th District.)

Scooters stuck: The 8th District has trained 8 more officers to patrol on scooters, but efforts to get more of them rolling is hampered by budget constraints. Perhaps there's a group (like NOLAAgainstCrime or Cops8 which have raised funds in the past to aid the 8th District) which could take the lead and help Capt. Hosli get the additional dollars he needs to put more scooters out on the streets of the Quarter and Marigny. You can call him at 658-6080.

Dog park alert: Following complaints that "gutter punks" hanging out in Cabrini Park were sleeping there, destroying property, and intimidating residents, Capt. Hosli says, "I will notify the platoons to increase the patrols in the park."

Let's hear from you: More often than not, the information we've used here has come from residents of the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle when they've noticed crimes or situations that threaten the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Let us know what you observe--it may help prevent a crime or remedy a bad situation.

***

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone interested in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle. To be added to our mailing list, send your email address to: NOcrimeline@gmail.com .

As always, your comments and suggests are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 3.31.07

Robber arrested...

Armed robber arrested: A suspect has been arrested in a bold armed robbery at noon on Saturday, 3.31.07. According to the NOPD and the victim's family, the robbery occurred as the victim and his wife were returning home from voting at the polls to the 1000 block of St. Philip Street. After the victim backed his car into the driveway and before the electronic gate fully closed, the perpetrator grabbed the gate and forced his way inside. He grabbed the victim, forced him to the ground at knife-point and took his wallet. The victim's screams alerted his wife, who was already in the house, and his grown son, both of whom came to the door and scared the perpetrator off with their shouts. The perpetrator got in his car and fled toward Burgundy Street. A neighbor, alerted by the victim's family's shouts, followed the perpetrator into the Ninth Ward where NOPD officers apprehended the suspect.

According to the 8th District, the captive--who was positively identified by the victim--is also suspected of similar robberies in several other NOPD districts. He is in custody and is being investigated in connection with the other robberies.

Ironically--or coincidentally--the victim and his wife were also the victims of an armed robbery in January at Bourbon and Gov. Nicholls streets. The perpetrators in that robbery and several other incidents in the French Quarter were later arrested.

How this robbery could have been avoided is hard to imagine. But it does highlight the importance of being vigilant at any time of the day at any place you are, no matter how safe it might otherwise seem.

***

As always, your comments and suggests are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 3.22.07

Alerts coming...

Crime Alerts coming soon: Capt. Edwin Hosli of the NOPD 8th District has appointed two members of his staff, Sgt. Teri Meunier and Ofc. Colleen Fincher, to compile the district's crime reports DAILY and transmit them to me to compose as "Crime Alerts" to email to 400+ addresses on the NOcrimeline list. Once a method of transmitting the reports to me is devised, NOcrimeline should be able to send out alerts as soon as crimes occur.

In my meeting with them on Wednesday, 3.21.07, we agreed the 8th District would report ALL crimes against persons: murder, rape, aggravated battery (other than domestic disputes), assaults, armed robbery, purse snatching, and simple robbery). Property crimes (burglary, auto theft, theft, shoplifting) will be reported only when a trend becomes evident that the public should be aware of. The district will supply information on:

• When and where the crimes occurred in the French Quarter or Marigny Triangle;
• How the crime occurred (names of victims will not be used);
• A description of the perpetrator, if there is one, and a description of any vehicle used.
• In addition, the district's Quality-of-Life officer, Roger Jones, will add tips and precautions to help residents avoid the particular type of crime being reported.

The level of cooperation the Captain and his staff are offering to NOcrimeline and the enthusiasm they have for it is remarkable. Never once in the meeting did I hear the words "we can't", "that's too difficult", or anything of that nature. They seem willing to do anything possible to keep the residents of the 8th District well-informed so citizens can take precautions against becoming victims and help the NOPD apprehend those disturbing peace in our neighborhoods.

Call 911: Despite a recent warning from a Time-Picayune columnist that you would lose your anonymity by reporting a crime by calling 911, Capt. Hosli says: "I still suggest that in an emergency that you call 911. If you tell the 911 operator that you don't want to speak with the police and an officer still knocks at your door, I need to know this. We don't want our officers contacting citizens who want to remain anonymous. In times of an emergency the 821-2222 may delay the response times."

I personally had an occasion to call 911 this week and the emergency operator specifically asked if I wanted to speak with the officer sent to the scene. I declined, and the operator said the officer would not contact me. It appears to me you can use 911 and still maintain your anonymity.

***

As always, your comments and suggests are welcome.

Thom Kahler

Crime update 3.18.07

Latest updates...

Apology: The last email I failed to send "blind" and email addresses were exposed. If anyone emails you spam as a result of it, please use the spamblocking feature of your email program to block them or unsubscribe from their list. I'll be more careful in the future to email a blind copy.

Crime alerts: Capt. Hosli and I are planning on meeting this coming week to work out the procedures for issuing alerts about crimes occurring in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle. Stay tuned.

Purse snatcher nabbed: As you probably know by now, a suspect was arrested Tuesday 3/13/07, in the brutal beating robbery of Gregg and Belinda Huber at Gov. Nicholls and Burgundy on 2/28/07. The other perpetrator who was driving the vehicle is still at large.

Ronald Martin, 30, was apprehended by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and turned over to the NOPD. He is being held in Orleans Parish Prison on $180,000 bond on charges of 2nd degree battery, simple battery, and purse snatching. He is due in Magistrate Court Section M5 on 5/13/07 at 9 a.m. for a "show cause" hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to charge him, in case you want to follow the case.

He was also charged in another incident with attempted simple kidnapping, 2nd degree battery, and aggravated armed robbery. He is being held on a separate $350,000 bond in that case. His "show cause" hearing is tomorrow 3/19/07 at 10 a.m. in Magistrate Court Section M1.

Purse snatching thwarted: Quick action by a citizen resulted in the apprehension of 3 of 4 young thugs who snatched the purse of woman outside of Matassa's Market at Dauphine and St. Philip on Friday afternoon 3/9/07. The citizen chased the perpetrators down and corralled them until the police arrived to arrest them. The woman's purse was recovered with nothing stolen.

Big buses: Marc Turk of Chartres Street flagged down an oversized tour bus that was illegally in the 800 block of Royal Street on Tuesday afternoon 3/13/07. A NOPD officer who responded criticized Turk for stopping the bus and sided with bus driver, letting him go without a citation. Capt. Hosli responded: "I will ask my officers to enforce the laws when they observe the violations." And he said he would speak to the officer who responded to the call, adding "let me be the first to apologize for any wrong doings on my officer's part." He promised, "I will also make certain that the schools attached to the NCAA games are advised not to bring to large buses into the Quarter."

Use other numbers: In the email about the NONPAC meeting, I erroneously reported that Capt. Hosli said "if something doesn't look right" to call the 8th District directly. Those calls should go to 821-2222 for non-emergencies and to 911 for emergencies. (But Jarvis DeBerry in his Times-Picayune column this morning warned that if you call 911 you'll have NOPD officers on your porch asking for details. He cautioned that if you have a tip for the police and want to remain anonymous that you call 821-2222 instead.)

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As always, your comments and suggests are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler