Bridgeport police rally west side to prevent crime - Wise County Messenger

The Bridgeport Police Department Tuesday held a community meeting to share crime prevention tips and help west side neighborhoods form a crime watch group.

West side residents have been frustrated by a recent string of petty thefts and a reported increase in suspicious individuals wandering the area at night.

Police Chief Steve Stanford said communication between residents and officers was the most important part of curbing criminal activity in their neighborhood.

“You all are the eyes and the ears of the community,” he said. “So we have to hear from you. We have to have that communication back and forth.”

Stanford also clarified rumors that violent crimes have been committed in the area. None have been reported, he told the audience.

The chief also addressed residents who reported darkened areas of their neighborhoods creating security issues. Lighting issues and low, untrimmed trees are a citywide problem, he said, because people can sneak around the neighborhoods more easily.

Residents who notice street or security lights that aren’t functioning can call the city at 940-683-3400, or fill out a fix-it form at wcmess.com/Fixit.

Stanford said the department does do a yearly inventory of which lights need work. He also took questions about a specific abandoned residence that neighbors complained is leading to more crime in the area. The city ultimately makes the call on condemning buildings, and Stanford encouraged residents to attend the next city council meeting to make their case to council members.

Several residents reported seeing suspicious persons walking or riding bicycles through the neighborhood. Be sure to note clothing, a personal description, any vehicles and their direction of travel when reporting it to the department, Stanford said.

“Let us know what’s going on,” he said. “We can track those reports. At the end of the year we get that data, and we report that to the council. If I’m not reporting the data that’s going on out there, that’s hurting us from getting additional officers.”

Lt. Todd Low offered the following tips:

Lock your cars.
“Out of all of these thefts, we haven’t had any cars that have had their windows smashed,” Low said. “I know over the last few years, I’ve had maybe one car burglary with a broken window. Crooks are lazy. If it’s locked, they’ll go to the next one. They don’t want dogs to bark. If they break the window, it’s going to make noise.”
Don’t leave valuable items in parked cars.
Keep your garage door closed.
If you’re going to be out of the house, don’t leave a note about being gone on your door.
Don’t leave keys under your doormat.
Keep the serial numbers of your belongings, including electronics and firearms.

After the meeting, residents formed a Facebook group, called “bridgeport,TX community crime watch (westside) ESPA OL”

Stanford encouraged west side residents to add themselves to Facebook groups and to share information with each other in order to better look out for each other.

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