Crime Prevention

The Harford County State's Attorney's office is participating in National Crime Victims' Rights Week April 22-28 and will feature a program about presenting crime this Monday. This annual observance seeks to increase public awareness and knowledge among crime victims and survivors about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime, according to State's Attorney Joseph Cassilly. The theme for the 2012 National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Extending the Vision, Reaching Every Victim.

Perception and reality often don't match, especially when it comes to crime. It's been the case for many years, but Capt. Keith Warner of the Harford County Sheriff's Office reiterated it last week when he addressed a crowd gathered for the regular meeting of the Jarrettsville/Norrisville Community Council: living in a rural area doesn't mean living away from crime. Sure, people talk about the good old days when no one had to lock doors on houses or cars. Maybe things were better in that regard back during some historic golden age known as the Good Old Days.

"Kick it out!"If confronted by robbers, you should know that the phrase means to hand over your money. And you should comply, a Baltimore police sergeant said yesterday at a community crime prevention forum."Hand it over, and let them get out of there," said Northern District Sgt. Jack Kincaid. "Don't try to confront them."It was one of many pieces of advice and strategies presented yesterday by police and community workers to help people stay safe and help neighborhoods prevent crime.Though the forum, held at the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus, had been planned for several weeks, Thursday's shooting of a Giant supermarket cashier made the topic of crime prevention seem more urgent.

ON THE SITE... Governor's crime chief to depart : Kristin Mahoney, one of Gov. Martin O'Malley's longest-serving aides, is leaving her role as head of the governor's crime prevention office for a job in the U.S. justice department. She said her move is unrelated to the resignations of Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III and Sheryl Goldstein, a crime adviser to the mayor, on Thursday. Body found on elementary school grounds in city :  Windsor Hills Elementary/Middle School in Northwest Baltimore is closed Friday after a body of a young man was discovered on the edge of school grounds Friday morning.

A West Columbia corporation that manages subsidized apartments and townhouses in Howard County will receive a state award today for its work in opening a police neighborhood satellite office.Columbia Housing Corp. will be among 145 Marylanders to be honored at the 16th annual Governor's Crime Prevention Awards Ceremony in Annapolis.In June 1994, the corporation helped open the satellite police station in Rideout Heath, a development for low-income residents in West Columbia's Wilde Lake village.

Crime prevention is the key to increasing community safety, a group of Oakland Mills community leaders said in a meeting last night during which they assessed the state of the village.Crime -- vandalism, armed robberies, assaults, drug violations and thefts -- topped the discussion as the group sought remedies to reduce what they termed "anti-community behavior.""We want to see what's right with Oakland Mills as well as see how we can take advantage of our untapped potential," said David Hatch, chairman of the village board.

On a whirlwind visit to Edgewood Wednesday, Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski toured two community policing programs and talked to residents, police and community leaders about their crime-prevention efforts.She stopped by a sparsely furnished storefront office in Edgewater Village Shopping Center on U.S. 40 and a modest townhouse community center in the Meadowood development, greeting strangers like friends and nodding enthusiastically.everybody, . . . this is so innovative. . . . What a great idea," said the Maryland Democrat before sitting down to a serious discussion with those involved in the policing centers.

Calling for vision and the "passing of the torch" to a new leadership that will carry the NAACP into the 21st century, U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott of Virginia said the key to its past FTC successes was its focus on long-term planning.And with continued leadership and pressure on Congress, "we can make America a better place for the next generation," he said.Mr. Scott, Lt. Gov. Melvin A. Steinberg and several chapter and branch leaders spoke last night before about 150 members and delegates of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The Elliotts could volunteer their weekends and evenings doing just about anything, but the Pasadena couple spend their time registering bicycles, directing traffic and helping to fingerprint children for the Anne Arundel County police. They've volunteered more than 5,000 hours as reserve officers, service that was recognized yesterday when they received the Governor's Crime Prevention Award. "We wanted to make a difference and let police know the community cares," said Josiah Elliott, 59, who works for the Department of Defense.

From now on, Anne Arundel school officials will submit designs for new school buildings to the county Police Department for safety reviews.The county school board decided on the procedure yesterday as it was approving designs for three schools and an addition for Broadneck High School."

The Harford County State's Attorney's office is participating in National Crime Victims' Rights Week April 22-28 and will feature a program about presenting crime this Monday. This annual observance seeks to increase public awareness and knowledge among crime victims and survivors about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime, according to State's Attorney Joseph Cassilly. The theme for the 2012 National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Extending the Vision, Reaching Every Victim.

Two groups have joined together to host the Family to Family Community Thrift Store, which will offer gently used, donated items for sale this weekend, all priced at $10 or less. The thrift store will be held Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Prince George's County Police Headquarters, 7600 Barlowe Road, Landover, and is a joint effort of the Police Department's Community Services Division and local nonprofit Community Outreach and Development Inc., an organization that works to provide services that help individuals and families become self-sufficient.

Anne Arundel County and Annapolis will mark the 28th annual National Night Out, an anti-crime neighborhood program, with free events Tuesday night. All events include children's activities and refreshments. National Night Out Against Crime is aimed at promoting safety, strengthening a sense of community and fostering neighborhood relationships with police by enjoying time outdoors with neighbors and learning about crime prevention. Participants traditionally keep a front or porch light on. Community events include civic groups and law enforcement agencies, although individual neighborhoods and blocks may hold smaller gatherings, officials said.

Advocates for crime victims and those who provide services for them, including police, huddled Monday in Annapolis as they worked with state officials on ways to better help the thousands of people harmed by crime in Maryland each year. The sessions were the latest step toward the Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention's plan to issue a report and recommendations this fall for improving assistance to crime victims. "This is the first-ever blueprint from victims," said Kristen Mahoney, executive director of the office that funnels federal and state grant money to law enforcement, nonprofit agencies and others.

The Howard County Police Department has been selected to receive a Governor's Crime Prevention Award, according to the department. The award, given annually to agencies, officers, community groups, businesses and residents throughout Maryland who contribute to crime prevention programming, will be presented at a ceremony in December. According to the department, it will be recognized for integrating crime prevention programs as part of its daily operations. "We see firsthand the exceptional work done by our employees and volunteers, but it's nice to see their successes acknowledged on a larger scale," Police Chief William J. McMahon said in a statement.

There are 670,497 vehicles registered in Baltimore County. Of those, 78,714 are for Honda models of all shapes, sizes and years. If you are a registered owner of one of them, the police might be interested in talking with you. Not just any Honda owner, however. Yours has to be a Civic or an Accord, built between 1990 and 2000. The color doesn't matter. There are 13,344 of you. Over the next few days, you should be getting a letter from the Baltimore County Police Department. Seems you own the type of car most sought by thieves.

When Jeff Paden of Clarksville fought through thick brush to help police rescue a missing elderly woman with Alzheimer's disease, he said he didn't think twice about it."If you can lend a hand without interfering, I think, 'Why not?' " said Mr. Paden of the incident that occurred in woods behind his home last year.Last night, Mr. Paden was applauded as he and about 100 Howard County police officers and citizens were recognized for their service to their communities.The annual awards ceremony, sponsored by the Howard County Police Department, was held at the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.

Maryland State Police, with a little help from their Mount Airy friends and neighbors, will remind residents Tuesday that crime prevention begins at home.The troopers' official launch of the 1995 National Night Out will begin at 6 p.m. in the heart of Mount Airy's historic business district at the Municipal Parking Lot on Park Avenue.The public is encouraged to attend the free crime prevention extravaganza, which will include law enforcement displays, a citizens' march and an indoor rally at American Legion Gold Star Post 191.The event will begin with a law enforcement display from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the town parking lot, state police spokesman Lt. Greg Shipley said.

Every day, Derek Kang used to chase 20 to 30 people he suspected of dealing drugs out of the vestibule of Sweet Sixteen, a women's clothing store he manages on Pennsylvania Avenue. Now it's down to just one or two, he said, after Baltimore police began a new strategy to eradicate one of the city's largest open-air drug markets: Take away the parking. Business has been down since late fall, when orange "No Stopping" bags first appeared on the meters lining four blocks of the West Baltimore commercial district, and Kang and other merchants along the strip have felt the impact on their bottom line.

Pit bulls attack horses in Severn Two pit bulls have been taken into custody after attacking a pair of horses on a Severn farm, Anne Arundel County police said yesterday. The horses were outside in the 900 block of Wieker Road at 2:35 p.m. Tuesday when the dogs, which live nearby and were running loose, clamped onto their noses, said Lt. Jeffrey Silverman, a county police spokesman. The horses suffered minor facial injuries. A son of the horses' owner recorded the mauling on his cell phone and handed it over to Animal Control, Silverman said.