WHY WOULD Montclair -- a tranquil refuge in
the hills -- want to form a Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council to stop
crime?
It's not really about bad crime, like the murders we're seeing in the
flatlands. It's not even about a rash of nonviolent crimes like home
burglaries and auto theft.
Primarily an NCPC could build a stronger community to keep the peace
and prevent crime by watching out for each other and banding together to
solve neighborhood eyesores, nuisances and traffic problems.
About 50 residents turned out Monday evening to look at the
possibilities an NCPC would offer and get advice from police and the
area's new Councilmember Jean Quan.
And why does Montclair need to build more "community?" To all
appearances, it's a cohesive area. But Don Link, chairperson of
neighborhood councils citywide, put it this way: "The residents are
going in so many different directions, it's like herding cats."
Montclair isn't unique. He has found that to be true in other Oakland
neighborhoods as well. He also has found things work better when people
all work together.
"That's right. They all seem to live in their own world,"
said Eric Green of Cabot Drive. To which Josie Levy, who co-organized the
meeting, said: "All we can do is open the door and invite them
in."
Co-organizer Nick Vigilantes saw NCPC as a sort of insurance against
what could happen in the future since the city is facing a $20 million
deficit. "We should prepare for the future now instead of waiting
until something hap-
pens."
There wasn't much hope raised that Montclair will get more cops by
forming an NCPC. So building a more cohesive community seemed to be the
real purpose.
Oakland police Lt. Lawrence Green, a veteran of a North Oakland NCPC,
reassured residents: "In the hills, you really are safe. You may not
see a cop often, if at all, because the cops don't have time to cruise
around. There's very little crime relatively speaking up here. I look at
my record and I see nothing."
He did suggest NCPC organizations have "lots of leverage" at
City Hall and a better chance of getting what they need than neighborhoods
who don't have them.
The highest incidence of crime in Montclair is theft, recorded as
larceny in police lingo. Of 309 crimes reported for 2002, there were 109
reports of larceny and 82 auto burglaries, which are the most frequent
complaints following a pattern of past years. However, in 2002 there were
fewer residential burglaries (29) than in 2001 when there were 43.
From what residents said, illegal dumping, traffic and parking problems
are major complaints. Another is police response to security alarms, which
is an issue in Los Angeles where police have announced they no longer will
investigate false alarms because there are so many.
"Cops love to catch someone breaking into a house but if the alarm
goes off and the homeowner is away, by the time the cops can respond 20
minutes later, it will be too late," Green said. "You have to
see a crime in progress."
One of his newest concerns, Green said, are the drastic cuts in Oakland
schools' security force, which monitor school campuses. He expects the
force will be cut in half.
He urged residents to report illegal dumping to the city by calling
434-5101 and blight problems by calling 238-3381.
Quan was solemn as she told residents the city may face a $36 million
deficit. "We're facing very hard times."
She said the Montclair library, which has heavy use, is slated for a 40
percent hit as the city plans to cut back its days open from five to
three. In parks and recreation, Quan said the city manager wants to cut in
half the number of recreation directors, from 20 to 10.
Hard times, indeed, if all the lamentations we are hearing actually
occur. An NCPC may or may not make a difference.
To learn more about the new Montclair NCPC, call Don Link at 658-8632
or e-mail Sandi Marisio at smarisio@oaknet.com
. The area covers Montclair from Thornhill Drive to Castle Drive and from
Piedmont to the crest of the hills.
