August 2006 Newsletter
Comfortably Numb
Crime. It won’t happen to you, it happens in other places to other people. We are protected here because of our (you fill in the blank…lifestyle, values, community, beliefs, trust etc.) Crimes do occur here. In April, May and June of 2006 we experienced 35 burglaries, 44 frauds and forgeries, 241 thefts, 18 stolen vehicles, 41 Assaults, 82 Domestic Violence Incidents, 26 Child Abuse or neglect cases, 109 Drug Offenses, 83 Alcohol Offenses and DUI’s, and 25 Sexual Offenses and the list goes on and on.
Please don’t hide under the bed, and you really can let the kids play outside. Just be aware that these things happen here, just as they do in other places. What we have working in our favor is that we do have a great community, which is filled with great people, who are becoming more diligent as citizens. Many of you realize that you must take a part in protecting our community so that we all may live in peace.
For example in those same three months we received 597 reports of “suspicious” incidents from citizens. Most of the time these reports turned out to be something innocent and nothing bad happened. But in several of the incidents, the call placed by that citizen saved someone’s property or prevented them from becoming the victim of a crime.
Often reports are received from 7 to 14 days after the incident happened. Although the information may be helpful and we certainly want to encourage people to report suspicious activity, wouldn’t it be great to get a call while it’s happening? When I ask these folks why they didn’t report it at the time, the most common answer is because they didn’t want to appear stupid calling in something that was probably nothing.
Worry no more! One reason that young officers become cops is because it really is fun to sneak up on bad guys and catch them red-handed. I look at it as getting to go hunting every day… and there is no limit! We can catch all we want!
Your eyes and ears are critical to the safety of our community. If you see a situation that you even wonder if you should report, please do. The information you provide may be nothing. But it may be a very small piece of a very big puzzle!
I want to thank you all for being diligent, for living a good life and for providing me with a great community in which to work and raise my family. I’ve spoken with, and gotten to know literally thousands of you over the years, and there is no community where I’d rather live. The quality, integrity and compassion of the people living here is shown to me every day as we all try to keep this great city rolling along over the bumps and rocky stretches.
Please don’t become “comfortably numb,” continue to work with us in protecting that which we hold dear. I join with Chief Paul in inviting you to contact us at any time.
Captain Cody Cullimore - Pleasant Grove/Lindon Police Department
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