BURGLARIES

I am a Forest Ridge resident. Two of my neighbors told me that residential burglaries have gone up significantly in my development in the past 2 -3 months. I spoke with an officer at the Shell gas station near University Drive and SW 30th Street. He told me that my community and the surrounding areas have been getting hit hard by burglars during weekdays between 10AM - 3PM. He said two people were arrested that had been committing burglaries there but that was just by luck. He also said that other burglaries have occurred since then.

When I asked him what the Davie Police Department was doing about this crime trend he flat out said, " nothing. " He said that he and his zone partners circulate the area but that no specialized units have been assigned to catch these criminals. I asked him why burglary detectives haven't been assigned to catch these people. He told me that Davie only has about 12 active detectives to follow up crimes for the entire city.

I find that very hard to believe. Is what this officer told me true? Is Davie really that understaffed that they can't handle something like this?

[avt12882]

i live in forest ridge and my house was hit and i work for davie ,i attempted to get detail officers assigned in forest ridge at the last board meeting and i was told that we don't need one. unless you have all the neighbors get together and demand a detail officer assisned ,the burglaries will not stop. the zone car that is asigned to forest ridge spends a majority of the time at the station doing reports from walk ins and they do not get to patrol forest ridge at least a detail officer will be assigned only to forest ridge. until we have a detail back in forest ridge our board leaders and residents will have to live with the burglaries.

[avt12882]

i live in forest ridge and my house was hit and i work for davie ,i attempted to get detail officers assigned in forest ridge at the last board meeting and i was told that we don't need one. unless you have all the neighbors get together and demand a detail officer assisned ,the burglaries will not stop. the zone car that is assigned to forest ridge spends a majority of the time at the station doing reports from walk ins and they do not get to patrol forest ridge at least a detail officer will be assigned only to forest ridge. until we have a detail back in forest ridge our board leaders and residents will have to live with the burglaries.

Why must WE spend more money for a service that we are already paying for every year in property taxes? Why is an officer that is assigned to my neighborhood handling walk in calls at the Police station?

Sounds like a poorly run Police Department.

[avt12882]

the zone unit that is assigned to forest ridge is lucky if they could go thru there once in a shift. between the walk ins, calls,and the other communities forest ridge will never get the attention it needs. it also does not help that davie does not have a plainclothes unit and as our counsel member said "davie is a small town there's no crime here" but they also moved out of forest ridge.

I hear they get pretty upset too if you work outta zone, so it's not like every hour or so a unit could pass thru there and check the struture for any new evidence or suspicious people.

[avt12882]

each zone unit has other communities that need attention you can't expect another zone unit to drive thru when they have to patrol thier own area

To Concerned Resident,

You have ever reason to be concerned. During the day shift you have one officer assigned from Nob Hill - Pineisland Rd / 595 - Orange Drive. This one officer is responsible for any calls of service within in that area. That area includes the Police Department where most of their time is spent. If you would like to see something done about this attend your next council meeting and bring it up. The council won't listen to 87% of the police officers but they might listen to residents. No doubt the Police Chief will make changes once this issue becomes public. Pineisland Ridge and its 10,000 residents were taken over by Davie last year. They aren't getting their own officer for that area. The department created it's own zone for that area but has the officer assigned to it working the old zone and the new one at the same time. Meaning, one officer is doing the work of what two should be doing.

Officers tried last year to get rid of its chief because they did not feel he had the leadership skills to point the department in the right direction. This is only one example of that.

Another way to get special attention is to own a restaurant and have someone walk out without paying their bill while the Chief is sitting inside eating. This type of incident would normally go no where but since the Chief was sitting there it got a detective assigned to it.

as a resident, you had a town councilor who was concerned for your safety and crime. well since that person has moved, so to has the loyalty and concern (until election time). the mayor and town council have been aware of the lack of officers to patrol the streets and do follow up investigations for years. they have also been well informed that the officers are unhappy with the lcurrent eadership of the department and they ignore all concerns and requests.
a detail officer may help to drive the scumbag to a different location where another victim will have to suffer due to the lack of officers.
as for your property taxes the majority are dispersed throughout the county not to davie

[avt12882]

THE CITIZENS OF FOREST RIDGE MUST ALSO LET THE COUNSEL MEMBER WHO USED TO LIVE IN FOREST RIDGE BUT HAS MOVED OVER A LITTLE TO THE WEST KNOW. WHY DID SHE TIE UP A ZONE UNIT TO GO TO HER HOUSE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RACOON IN HER WALL INSTEAD OF CALLING ANIMAL CRITTERS? SO BASICALLY SHE WAS TELLING ALL THE CITIZEN'S THAT GETTING A RACOON OUT OF HER WALL WAS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THEN HAVING THE ZONE UNIT PATROL HIS ZONE AND KEEP BURGLARIES FROM OCCURRING.