The Southwest Precinct‘s retiring Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow got quite a sendoff from the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network, as about 40 people came to its first meeting in three months to hear his parting words. The group itself was a prescient creation of local volunteers – since now that the city will have fewer crime-prevention coordinators, volunteer efforts matter more than ever.

Deb Greer, one of the group’s trio of leaders (with Karen Berge and Deanie Schwarz), put together a retrospective of Block Watch’s beginnings in Seattle, to tee off Kinlow’s memories, and tributes from a few of the attendees around the table.

But before we get to that – the crime tip of the month from the uniformed SPD rep on hand, Community Police Team Officer Jon Kiehn:

After listening to WSBWCN leaders recap their latest outreach efforts, including a new phone line, plus in-person meet-and-greet at events such as fall’s Gathering of Neighbors, Officer Kiehn lauded the group for its “strength” – working to improve communication. He said the city is working on that too, and mentioned the maps you can use to look up information on recent crime in your neighborhood (you can find them here, for recent 911 calls, and here, for recent police reports).

As for that crime-fighting tip: “Car prowls are the #1 thing we are dealing with right now,” he said. (That’s in line with what precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen had said at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s meeting a week earlier.) His advice: “Park your cars where you can see them, in lighted areas, where there’s more foot traffic … Don’t leave stuff in your cars; that’s pretty basic, but you’d be surprised how often (people do). … The car prowl (results in) a smashed window (costing the victim) 200 bucks, and (the criminal) got 1.75 out of that console … If you have to keep stuff in your cars, put it in the glove box, under the seats, whatever you have to do … keep items outside the car.”

Now, to Ben Kinlow, who’s retiring March 15 after 30+ years with SPD (here’s our original report on his announcement):

The WSBWCN slides included some old Seattle Times (WSB partner) clips, going back as far as 1960. Kinlow’s history doesn’t date back quite that many years; he explained that he got started as a community organizer in the Leschi area in 1972, talking to people about getting home repairs for a low interest rate. A few years after that, the presentation showed he’d written an article on “how to protect your home from burglary.”

Kinlow recalled that Seattle’s crime-prevention program was a trailblazer, admired nationwide. Citizens took a strong interest; he talked about a meeting in the ’80s that drew 300 people. Asked at the time about the secret of the program’s popularity, Kinlow said, the joking reply was, “We said it’s a wine-tasting.”

Crime prevention isn’t simply about making your belongings theft-proof, your home and car break-in-proof, he noted. Dealing with “nuisance properties” – certain homes or apartments with activities and/or conditions that leave neighbors fearful for their safety – is a big part of the job, too.

That was underscored by one attendee who shared memories of getting Kinlow’s help with a house in his neighborhood that had lost renters and gained squatters. It took a lot of work, but finally they won a victory against the absentee landlord’s negligence.

“If you have a house like that in your neighborhood,” Kinlow interjected, “we can help you set up a Block Watch – we are dealing with some of those right now .. people who are actually living in fear of (the people in) some of these houses.”

Another attendee confirmed the battle can be won, saying that after neighborhood organizing and action – and “constant 911 calls” as needed – the “nuisance renters” had moved out just days ago.

Getting organized is the key, Kinlow affirmed, urging everyone in the room to “go back to your neighborhoods, and if (your neighbors) are not organized, get them organized.” Watch for suspicious people/activities, and don’t hesitate to report them; plus, he advised, “I want to encourage you to have a tough skin when you call 911” – alluding to the occasional complaint that 911 operators seem disinterested or brusque. “That’s how we prevent, and catch, burglars, when we respond to that kind of call.”

He also recommended participation in the Community Police Academy (find out about it here – 2 weeks till the deadline for signing up for its next session).

Before the meeting broke up into small groups for chatting and more well-wishes, Kinlow was asked by co-leader Greer how they compare to Block Watch captains of 30 years ago.

Replying to the organizers who have set up a Facebook group, webpage, Twitter account, and phone line that e-mails them its messages, Kinlow quipped: “Thirty years ago the only thing they had was a telephone!”

(By the way, the group leaders mentioned earlier that they were working on yet another communications improvement, an online system to help you find out if there’s a Block Watch in your area.)

Here’s how to reach the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network:

Web: wsblockwatchnet.wordpress.com
Facebook: Go here
Twitter: @wsblockwatchnet
Phone: 206-424-0040

Group leaders are scheduled to speak to the Southwest District Council at its next meeting next week, 7 pm Wednesday, Feb. 2 at the board room of South Seattle Community College.