Southwest Precinct police have begun the holiday-safety plan they previewed at recent community meetings, starting with the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council in October. We talked this week with Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores about the plan; he said you can expect to see stepped-up presence, including foot patrols, in areas that are busier than ever this time of year, particularly The Junction and Westwood Village.
As always, taking safety precautions is a vital part of the equation, too, and toward that end, the precinct has shared advice from Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon:
Seattle Police Safety Advice for Holiday Season
Even if you think you’ve heard it all before – take a few minutes to read it. Make sure other members of your family know.
P.S. While the document touches only briefly on preventing package theft, Officer Flores said the most important thing is to avoid having a package left in plain view from the street. So if you have to have something delivered, they recommend:
-Signature required on delivery
-Pick up from local carrier hub
-Leave the package with a trusted neighbor if delivery window is within time you know the neighbor will be homeAnd if all the above fail, at the very least:
-Placement of the package in as a discreet a location as possible
We’d add – if crime DOES happen, even if it seems “minor,” please report it to police so they can track trends and redeploy the “emphasis patrols” as needed. (And once you do, consider letting us know, so we can share it in West Seattle Crime Watch reports and keep others informed – police reports take up to a week to get through the system, so unless we hear directly, we don’t necessarily get the information in a timely manner.)
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