THE COMMUNICATOR

A COMMUNITY INFORMATION SERVICE

PROVIDED BY THE

POTTSTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT

Dispatch: 610-970-6570     Administration: 610-970-6572     FAX: 610-970-6588

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Volume 3, Issue 4

 April 2005

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NEW POSITIONS FILLED

 

On March 21st two new full-time positions in the Pottstown Police Department were staffed. Kristin Marks and Luis Colon began working as our first Civilian Processors.  Both Kristen and Luis will assist Pottstown officers with the processing of prisoners and arrestees along with conducting video arraignments.  Additionally, in cooperation and with the assistance of the Pottstown School District, these two staff members will assist with the monitoring of juveniles who have been detained after school - pending release to parents.  When not dealing with their primary tasks, both Kristin and Luis will performing data entry and records maintenance in our Records Division.

 

Kristin, a former Berks County Deputy Sheriff and professional fitness advisor, will work Wednesday's through Sunday's, from 6 AM to 2 PM.  Luis, who transferred to the Police Department from the Pottstown Water Treatment Plant previously worked as a New York State Corrections Officer and a Montgomery County Parks Deputy Warden, will work Tuesday's through Saturday's, from 2 PM to 10 PM.

 

Pottstown Police Captain Allan Ewing says that he is pleased to have both Kristin and Luis on board.  "Their presence will serve to support our staff of Patrol Officers, allowing officers to spend more time on the street."  Captain Ewing hopes that in the years to come, "outside agencies will provide financial support enabling us to create a full-time central processing repository for Pottstown and the surrounding municipalities.  Until then, the Civilian Processors will only process people involved in Pottstown cases."

 

 

New PPD Civilian Processors

Kristin Marks & Luis Colon

EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT

As many of our readers are aware, Pottstown Police Chief Mark Flanders is a staunch advocate of Early Childhood Learning.  On March 22nd an editorial was forwarded to The Mercury for consideration, regarding the Pottstown School District's development of an Early Learning Program.  Chief Flanders has asked that a copy of that editorial be published in this month's edition of The Communicator in the hope that the concept is not lost as the building site is debated.

Dear Sir or Madam:

In his March 20th article, (Teachers want in on early education talks), Evan Brandt outlined some of the differing opinions concerning what form Pottstown’s early education program will take.  Regardless of the final outcome of the building site and other issues, one thing is assured – Pottstown’s early childhood education efforts will pay off in the form of future crime prevention, taxpayer savings and other benefits.

The research is clear that quality early childhood education programs prevent crime.  No study has more thoroughly documented the value of early education for children and society than that of the High/Scope Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  This 35-year study tracked both the low-income participants and similar kids left out of the program.  The findings on crime are striking: By age 27 the grown-up children who did not attend the Perry program were five times more likely to be chronic lawbreakers than the children who were enrolled in the program.  And, by age 40 children denied services were four times more likely to be arrested for drug felonies and more than twice as likely to become career offenders.  Children left out of the program were also nearly twice as likely to be arrested for multiple violent felonies.

Because crime is costly, preventing crime saves money.  In fact, this same 35-year study of the Perry Preschool Program found that the program cut crime, welfare, remedial education and other costs so much that it saved taxpayers more than $17 for every $1 invested (including more than $11 in crime savings).  They also found that, as the toddlers became adults, they had higher earning potential, more likely to earn a high school diploma, were more likely to be married by age 27, and had fewer out-of-wedlock births.

Results like this are why I and the other 180 members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Pennsylvania - a nonprofit, bipartisan organization of police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys and victims of violence – applaud Pottstown School District's on-going commitment to investing in quality early childhood education. 

Follow this link for more information regarding the HIGH/SCOPE PERRY PRESCHOOL STUDY

 

 

CALLS FOR SERVICE -   February 2005

 

During February 2005, the Pottstown Police Department answered 1,429 calls for service.  Of these calls, 1,412 occurred in the Borough. (Note: The remaining 17 calls were requests for assistance by other Police Departments or other Law Enforcement Agencies.)

 

During the month we averaged 51.03 calls per day or, 17.01 calls per shift.  For the year we have answered 2,940 calls.  The daily average for the year is 49.83 calls per day or 16.61 calls per shift.

 

During February 2004 we answered 1,418 calls. We answered 11 more calls this month than last February.  This is an increase of 0.77% from last year.  For the year (2005) we answered 173 more calls than this time in 2004.  This represents an overall increase of 6.25%.

 

 

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR AN ELEVEN-YEAR (1994 - 2004) POTTSTOWN CRIME STATISTICS COMPARISON

 

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR A SIX-YEAR (1999 - 2004) POTTSTOWN P. D. CALLS FOR SERVICE COMPARISON

 

 

SAFETY TIP

 

Warmer weather is fast approaching and with it comes children on bicycles.  "Unfortunately, bicycles are more than a toy in another sense, too: they are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile."  Follow the below links to learn how these injuries can be prevented.

 

THE NATIONAL SAFE KIDS CAMPAIGN

THE BICYCLE HELMET SAFETY INSTITUTE

HELP KEEP CYCLISTS SAFE (CYCLE CITY USA)

Follow this link for a children's interactive BICYCLE SAFETY TOUR WITH VINCE & LARRY

 

 

2005 EVENTS (Special Events in Green)

(Detailed List Below)

 

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO VIEW A PRINTABLE POTTSTOWN BOROUGH CALENDAR

(Note:  To view the Borough's Calendar, you will first need to have Adobe® Acrobat Reader™ installed on your computer.)

 

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Copyright © 1999  Pottstown Police Department. All rights reserved.
Revised: April 13, 2005