Preventing and tracking crime were the main points of discussion at Tuesday night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, first time the group’s met since June – members voted earlier this year to change the bylaws to skip July and August meetings. Toplines – including which crimes are up, who’s on the street, and a one-day chance to clean out your medicine cabinet – ahead:

CRIME STATS: Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James (above right, with WSCPC officers) said that while home/apartment burglaries are “well below (longterm) average,” they are up slightly this month. But some chronic offenders are off the street – he said eight of nine repeat burglars on a most-wanted list of sorts have been arrested, and he mentioned the three burglary suspects caught Monday thanks to watchful citizens (as reported here). Car thefts are trending upward for the third consecutive month, though still below longterm averages. From a regular trends briefing involving police leaders from around Seattle, Lt. James said, “Crime is down (all over) the city – we just want to say thanks to the community, because they are a big part of it. … Good people are looking out and watching what’s going on with their neighbors.”

WHO’S ON THE STREET: Asked who’s currently on the Community Police Team, Lt. James pointed to Officers Kevin McDaniel and Jonathan Kiehn in the back of the room and said, they’re it. While the Southwest Precinct – which handles South Park as well as West Seattle – has had up to four CPT officers in recent years, it appears this area is now headed for what may be an overall plan of one per sector (West Seattle has two “sectors,” William mostly in the west, Frank mostly in the east, including SP.) Officer Ken Mazzuca, who had been out on military duty, is back but, under incoming commander Capt. Steve Paulsen, will be teamed with Officer Adonis Topacio, former CPT member who’s been filling in with detective work. They’ll be like an Anti-Crime Team, it was explained, also helping with legwork on ongoing cases.

HOW ARE THINGS SINCE SCHOOL STARTED? Quiet, the lieutenant says.

GET RID OF YOUR (LEGAL) DRUGS: This Saturday, the Southwest Precinct is one of the collection sites for a nationwide effort to cut down on drug abuse by getting unused, unwanted, maybe even expired drugs out of homes – 10 am-2 pm. Full details here.

BUSINESS WATCH: Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow shared more information and flyers about this new plan in which police are hoping to encourage business owners to watch out for each other the same way that residents do. The program also will include information that can help businesses, such as, what are you supposed to do if you get robbed?

WEST SEATTLE BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: Karen Berge and Deanie Schwarz updated the meeting on ongoing efforts – outreach during the summer by having tables/booths at major events including West Seattle Summer Fest and Alki Family Fun Day, and meetings about to resume – 6:30 pm September 28th at the Southwest Precinct. Berge discussed the fact the group has a blog-format website now as well as the ongoing Facebook group, and she mentioned tying in the West Seattle Be Prepared preparedness efforts. (A Seattle Neighborhood Group rep mentioned they’d nominated the Blockwatch Captains Network leaders for a community award; the ceremony is coming up October 14th.)

The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets on the third Tuesday of the month, 7 pm, SW Precinct; next meeting is October 19th, and you can watch their website at wscpc.org inbetween meetings