West Willow neighborhood residents form Citizen Patrol to prevent crime
Angela Barbash cruised slowly down the streets of the West Willow neighborhood on a recent Thursday in her shiny red Chevrolet Impala.
She kept an eye out for people sitting in cars or loitering in yards. It was 2:30 p.m., which Barbash said was prime time for pairs of young men to burglarize homes.
Frustrated with the response time from local law authorities after a recent shooting in her neighborhood, West Willow resident Angela Barbash has taken it upon herself to start a citizen patrol to help keep a watchful eye on her neighborhood.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
“There’s a high amount of break-ins in the afternoon while people are at work,” she said.
Barbash is serious about preventing crime, but isn’t a cop. She’s a securities broker who founded Citizen Patrol — a group of residents in her Ypsilanti Township neighborhood who patrol during their free time and in their own cars.
Barbash, president of the New West Willow Neighborhood Association, started the group after an innocent woman was shot June 27 outside a large block party on Cayuga Street. A number of residents criticized the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department for not breaking up the block party and reaching the shooting victim sooner.
Barbash questions whether it would have made a difference had more people called police to complain about the party or had the Citizen Patrol been out.
"Maybe it wouldn't have happened," she said.
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The patrol, considered the first of its kind in the county, has seven members. Some have toured the dispatch center and picked up pointers from deputies on what kind of activity they should report.
Patrol members wear fluorescent yellow T-shirts, put "CITIZEN PATROL" magnets on their cars and carry forms to write down information about suspicious people and cars, which they can pass along to deputies.
Residents need to partner with police to fight crime, Barbash said. She planned to meet later that day with sheriff's Lt. Jim Anuszkiewicz to review crime statistics.
Sgt. David Archer said the patrol doesn't have law enforcement powers, but is another set of “eyes and ears observing criminal activity.”
“Who better to know what’s going on than the people that actually live there,” he said.
Barbash spent most of her hour-long patrol waving to people as she drove by. Much of the feedback has been positive, she said.
WEST WILLOW CRIME STATISTICS
Deputies responded to 547 incidents from June 29 - Sept. 28, records show. There were no homicides. Here are some highlights:
- Suspicious circumstances - 51
- Suspicious persons - 38
- Residential burglaries - 20
- Family trouble - 18
- Public nuisance - 17
- Disorderly conduct - 16
- Assault and battery - 11
“The litmus test is if you wave and they wave back, then you’re good,” she said. “If they don’t wave back and they look at you sideways, that’s my cue to make sure I know who those people are.”
William Robinson, 70, pulled his car beside Barbash’s car on Nash Avenue and asked if she worked for the sheriff’s department. She told him about her group and said it’s always looking for dedicated new recruits.
“You look like you might be all right,” she said, smiling at him.
“I hope so,” he said.
Robinson planned to attend the next neighborhood association meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11 at Kaiser Elementary School to learn more about the group. Having residents patrol their own neighborhood sends a strong message, Robinson said.
“On my street, you get a lot of traffic,” he said. “The youths are standing on the corners. The more visible the patrol is, I think that could help deter a lot.”
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and e-mail at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Angela Barbash
Mon, Oct 11, 2010 : 2:37 p.m.
Just in case anyone checks the story comments from this point forward, we just posted our very first PR video for West Willow to YouTube. Please watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/NWWNA?feature=mhum Thank you! Angela
Angela Barbash
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 8:32 p.m.
@a -- did you attend this past Tuesday's board meeting? If not, please attend the next one in two weeks where the vote will take place. There was a lot of good information and facts presented. I'm sorry that you feel that one particular breed is the problem all unto itself, and probably where you live it happens to be the case. If you're afraid to walk down your street, then apply pressure on our officials to have the laws that are already in place enforced. Yes, I absolutely advocate the ownership of bull terriers. They are great dogs, very loving, family oriented, loyal and easy to train. I'm sorry that you've never experienced the brighter side to the breed. I was attacked when I was 7 years old, by a golden retriever. I try not to let that experience influence my opinion of retrievers. I don't believe I've ever been self righteous, and I certainly know that as a full time working couple we could do a better job of training our dogs, as most honest people could say. Lastly, I sincerely hope that everyone restrict the homes that their children visit based on the OWNERS, not the breed. I know some homes I won't step foot in and none of them have bull terriers, but I know their dogs and I don't feel safe around them.
Life in Ypsi
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 7:59 p.m.
No, Angela you advocate owning pittbulls. You won't even have your dog spayed/neutered. I love how the owners always act so self righteous about how well trained and behaved their animal is. You own a dog that does more harm when biting than many other breeds. Do you understand that many of us don't even want to be outside when these dogs are in yards and have to restrict who are kids can visit based on breed of dog.
eyeonthenews
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 4:29 p.m.
There are areas in this neighborhood where people hang out all hours of the day and night. Simply put they are a nuisance on several levels. Drugs, alcohol, noise, trash and they impede traffic. Then you factor in the kids that roam in large groups wrecking havoc, impeding traffic and they too have their neighborhood hangouts where children are left unattended and turn their house into a hangout for their friends. We have several issues at hand. My biggest issue for me right now is with the children roaming and the mischeif they get into. I'm sure in the case of many, if not all, of these local hangouts the police would say they have the right to be there. Sadly the predominate culture out here right now is NOT a culture of living within the law. That's why on any given day you can see numerous people out here walking a Pit Bull without a leash, boom boxes blasting, public intoxication and even the use of drugs. I'm glad to see Angela B. trying to do something and I sure hope she can get residents to help but most important the police to respond to the issues that are blatantly obvious. I still think this neighborhood can be restored but it's going to take a major effort from a lot of people which hasn't been done in the past.
Angela Barbash
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 2:18 p.m.
Thanks Lee for the posting the story. I hope more neighborhoods will consider starting something like this. And how did I know that someone would draw some conclusion between keeping a watchful eye out for burglaries, and my advocacy for responsible dog ownership and enforcement of current animal laws...? Go figure. And in case anyone is curious, we've been doing marked patrols since Labor Day weekend and from what we're being told by our ears on the street, it's making a difference among the youth. They at least are very aware that we're out, and we're not always marked or in the same cars, so we're keeping them on their toes.
Life in Ypsi
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.
Great idea, except I'm still disturbed this woman strongly advocates for pittbull ownership and it's these dogs that have contributed to wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods.
rusty shackelford
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 9:15 a.m.
The citizen patrol could also easily become the anti-party patrol. Install floodlights and loudspeakers on all the car roofs. Next time a "block" party gets out of control, blast the lights, some Andy Williams, and descend en masse.
rusty shackelford
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 9:10 a.m.
Atticus--you're right. It's amazing how many people will steal things from one's home, etc, but won't bother to steal a license plate for the getaway car. Our good luck they're dumb, I guess.
Atticus F.
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.
Elaine, if the criminals know they are being observed and having their license plates recorded, it can actually be a crime deterrent. I comend these people for what they're doing, as long as it not 'Gaurdian Angel' style justice. A strong community can actually help to rebuild neighborhoods like this, which can in turn raise property values. Just dont forget to add community programs and community gardens to keep kids out of trouble.
Elaine F. Owsley
Thu, Oct 7, 2010 : 7:33 a.m.
Too much information. If I'm a crook and she drives by, what do I do now? I wave back and she drives on while I go back to my criminal activity.