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My local paper had the screaming headline
BURGLARIES HAVE NEIGHBORS ASKING CAN WE SHOOT THEM
http://www.delawareonline.com/1024a.html
Neighbors ask: Can we shoot burglars?
By MICHELE BESSO / The News Journal
02/11/2005NEWARK -- The question was hollered from the back of the room: Can we shoot them?
The answer came from Cpl. Tracy Simpson of the Newark Police Department.
"You can use as much force as you can to defend yourself, but we will not justify homicide or shooting a person," she said. "It's got to be a justified decision that each person has to make."
Residents worried in the wake of a recent string of burglaries and home invasions around Newark peppered police with questions Thursday during two community meetings.
More than 200 mostly elderly town and county residents attended a meeting at the First Presbyterian Church in the afternoon while around 100 more people attended a later meeting at Maclary Elementary School.
At the meetings, residents learned more about a new task force made up of county, state and Newark police. That task force was formed after Newark Mayor Vance Funk III sent a memo to City Manager Carl Luft earlier this week strongly urging Luft to call county and state officials to get more help.
"I told him I was not satisfied with the progress of the burglary investigation and that additional people were needed," Funk said. "There's just not enough bodies."
Luft said Newark police then updated Funk with details about their investigation and told the mayor the resources they were using were enough.
"The mayor seemed to accept that," Funk said.
On Wednesday, county police called Newark Police Chief Gerald Conway and offered to provide help. Newark police officials then called the state to see if they would help.
"It all sort of came together," Luft said. "The whole department is working very hard. It's a frustrating situation."
Although the city of 30,000 has been hit by more than 100 burglaries since October, it's the recent increase in home invasion-type burglaries that has police and residents even more concerned.
There have been five home invasions in Newark since the start of the year while at least three others have been committed either just outside the city limits or just over the state line in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Jean Hendricks, 63, who lives in a neighborhood near Newark, said there have been some burglaries in her neighborhood. She said she is more nervous since learning of the home invasions.
"If I hear something downstairs, it makes me nervous and I have trouble sleeping," she said. "I'm more aware of my surroundings now and I'm keeping my eyes open. I'm making sure the door is locked and I'm getting an alarm system."
State Police Lt. Tom Ford said residents should immediately start seeing more K-9 units in the city and even helicopters flying overhead. The task force will work out of the Elkton Road police headquarters and use undercover vehicles.
"People's senses are heightened, but it doesn't mean there's a reason to panic," Ford said.
Residents came to the meeting looking for ways to protect themselves and their valuables. One person at the afternoon meeting even asked police if residents should be recording all the serial numbers on their money in case someone breaks in and steals it.
But residents also came looking for more details on the investigation, details police did not want to share.
Simpson started the meeting by telling those in attendance, "We have a lot of details we can't give out without jeopardizing the investigation. If you have questions, we can't answer them."
A thin male under 6-feet tall and wearing dark clothing is about the only description Simpson could give about the burglar.
"I realize this fits 50 percent of the male population," Simpson said, telling the residents they need to be aware of strangers in their neighborhood. "This guy has been seen by someone. He's not invisible."
After the meeting, residents with questions crowded around police.
A key concern for many was what to do if somebody breaks into their house while they are at home. Simpson told them not to confront the person.
"If you are confronted, do not resist," she said. "Comply with whatever he asks. You don't know if someone will hurt you. Nothing you own is worth more than your life."
Simpson also urged residents to lock their doors and windows, install an alarm system, and make sure the outside of their homes are well lighted. "A criminal's worst enemy is light," she said. "These people are giant, oversized cockroaches. You see what light does to them."
Contact Michele Besso at 324-2386 or [email protected].
BURGLARIES HAVE NEIGHBORS ASKING CAN WE SHOOT THEM
http://www.delawareonline.com/1024a.html
Neighbors ask: Can we shoot burglars?
By MICHELE BESSO / The News Journal
02/11/2005NEWARK -- The question was hollered from the back of the room: Can we shoot them?
The answer came from Cpl. Tracy Simpson of the Newark Police Department.
"You can use as much force as you can to defend yourself, but we will not justify homicide or shooting a person," she said. "It's got to be a justified decision that each person has to make."
Residents worried in the wake of a recent string of burglaries and home invasions around Newark peppered police with questions Thursday during two community meetings.
More than 200 mostly elderly town and county residents attended a meeting at the First Presbyterian Church in the afternoon while around 100 more people attended a later meeting at Maclary Elementary School.
At the meetings, residents learned more about a new task force made up of county, state and Newark police. That task force was formed after Newark Mayor Vance Funk III sent a memo to City Manager Carl Luft earlier this week strongly urging Luft to call county and state officials to get more help.
"I told him I was not satisfied with the progress of the burglary investigation and that additional people were needed," Funk said. "There's just not enough bodies."
Luft said Newark police then updated Funk with details about their investigation and told the mayor the resources they were using were enough.
"The mayor seemed to accept that," Funk said.
On Wednesday, county police called Newark Police Chief Gerald Conway and offered to provide help. Newark police officials then called the state to see if they would help.
"It all sort of came together," Luft said. "The whole department is working very hard. It's a frustrating situation."
Although the city of 30,000 has been hit by more than 100 burglaries since October, it's the recent increase in home invasion-type burglaries that has police and residents even more concerned.
There have been five home invasions in Newark since the start of the year while at least three others have been committed either just outside the city limits or just over the state line in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Jean Hendricks, 63, who lives in a neighborhood near Newark, said there have been some burglaries in her neighborhood. She said she is more nervous since learning of the home invasions.
"If I hear something downstairs, it makes me nervous and I have trouble sleeping," she said. "I'm more aware of my surroundings now and I'm keeping my eyes open. I'm making sure the door is locked and I'm getting an alarm system."
State Police Lt. Tom Ford said residents should immediately start seeing more K-9 units in the city and even helicopters flying overhead. The task force will work out of the Elkton Road police headquarters and use undercover vehicles.
"People's senses are heightened, but it doesn't mean there's a reason to panic," Ford said.
Residents came to the meeting looking for ways to protect themselves and their valuables. One person at the afternoon meeting even asked police if residents should be recording all the serial numbers on their money in case someone breaks in and steals it.
But residents also came looking for more details on the investigation, details police did not want to share.
Simpson started the meeting by telling those in attendance, "We have a lot of details we can't give out without jeopardizing the investigation. If you have questions, we can't answer them."
A thin male under 6-feet tall and wearing dark clothing is about the only description Simpson could give about the burglar.
"I realize this fits 50 percent of the male population," Simpson said, telling the residents they need to be aware of strangers in their neighborhood. "This guy has been seen by someone. He's not invisible."
After the meeting, residents with questions crowded around police.
A key concern for many was what to do if somebody breaks into their house while they are at home. Simpson told them not to confront the person.
"If you are confronted, do not resist," she said. "Comply with whatever he asks. You don't know if someone will hurt you. Nothing you own is worth more than your life."
Simpson also urged residents to lock their doors and windows, install an alarm system, and make sure the outside of their homes are well lighted. "A criminal's worst enemy is light," she said. "These people are giant, oversized cockroaches. You see what light does to them."
Contact Michele Besso at 324-2386 or [email protected].
The one very thing folks own which is priceless is - surprise - yep, their LIFE, their own life. Worth defending IMO.
