Voters to decide job’s fate
August 1, 2012
Cajun Coast taking steps to preserve Welcome Center
August 1, 2012
Lights are expected to be on at homes across the nation and throughout the Tri-parishes next Tuesday for the 29th Annual National Night Out, a crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.
“In 2008, there were only two neighborhood watch programs and we did not have much involvement with the groups,” said Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis. “Now we have 26 active groups. It has really grown.”
According to Duplantis, a major violent crime surge in 2009 sparked the rapid formation of many of the groups.
“We had 10 murders that year,” Duplantis said. “By 2011, the number of groups and the size of groups took a huge increase. More than 15 groups had formed and that’s when the police department also got involved. That year, we saw the biggest crime reduction rate since 1985. The neighborhood watch groups played a big role in that reduction and we credit them for the help.”
In the years since, members of local neighborhood watch groups have informed Houma Police and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s departments of many types of crimes.
“Most calls were in reference to drug activity in neighborhoods,” Duplantis said. “With all the calls, we were able to solve the crimes. The residents are our eyes and ears and they call us and tell us what is going on. We weeded out the drug problems and now most calls are in reference to speeding, running of stop signs and drainage issues. The groups are working and crime is not as big of a problem anymore if residents are calling about these things, especially drainage issues. I think it’s pretty neat.”
The large congregations of residents also draw city council members and levy district board members who want to hear the concerns of citizens.
“Many people don’t know which person to contact about branches in the road, potholes, downed street signs and drainage,” Duplantis said. “We help them get these issues to the correct parish officials. The groups are helping to clean up neighborhoods and crime.”
Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter is to visit the gatherings and get his force more involved in the parish’s watch groups.
“We used to do the neighborhood watches a lot, but I don’t think we’ve been doing it much anymore,” Larpenter said. “I hope to get involved with city police in the parish and look into personnel and funding to help with the programs. I hope we can start more neighborhood watch groups. Most neighborhood watch groups are in areas that have a high crime rate but we will meet with anyone who would like to start a neighborhood watch group in their area. We will inform groups about crime problems in their areas. I’d like to see a watch group in all neighborhoods.”
With more than 25 groups and numerous members taking part in Houma’s neighborhood watches, Duplantis said the city is saturated.
“Some of theses groups started out with only three or four people,” Duplantis said. “The Jean Ellen/Caroline Avenue group grew from eight or 10 people to 38 residents. We are going to have to move their meeting to a larger location.”
Captain, chief and sheriff’s
National Night Out plans
National Night Out events will be hosted at 14 locations in Houma and the kick-off event will be at hosted at Bayou Towers at 4 p.m.
“We usually have about 100 people here for the kick-off,” said Bayou Towers’ resident and watch group captain Dee Leidenheimer, who helped start the group. “Our watch group has been around for about eight years. We had a good many people when we first started out but now we have about 60 people who come to the meetings each month. We have the meetings in the building.”
During National Night Out, groups like Bayou Towers’ neighborhood watch and others across the country hope to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and bolster neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
“The Houma Police Department and the sheriff’s department are so nice,” Leidenheimer said. “They have helped us a lot and keep an eye on us. It is wonderful and we appreciate it. Many disabled and elderly live here and things have been a lot better here since we started the group. I feel safe here. It’s nice here.”
In the years since the group was started, Leidenheimer said that Houma Police has helped to curtail thefts on Scott Lane and break up large crowds forming at a nearby store and a bus stop.
Liedenheimer, an avid dancer, is looking forward to her yearly dance with Chief Duplantis on National Night Out.
“National Night Out is a celebration of neighborhood watch groups, like a banquet at the end of the year,” Duplantis said. “I’ll be out there and we will have patrol officers at every meeting. This is a chance for everybody to get together and celebrate the progress of the groups working together. These monthly meetings are boots on the road. Progress is being made against crime, and this is a celebration of that.”
Sheriff Larpenter and his deputies will be making rounds as well.
“I’ll be meeting with captains of the watch groups and we will have extra patrols for National Night Out,” Larpenter said. “We want to know how we can help them and how they can help us. We want to attack crime in this parish and talk to businesses and residents about how they can help themselves as well.”
Over in Lafourche Parish, eight National Night Out block parties will be hosted from 6 to 9 p.m. in north, central and south neighborhoods throughout the parish.
“This event is one of the main highlights of the year for our deputies,” said Sheriff Craig Webre in a printed statement. “The Night Out Against Crime gives us the opportunity to meet with the public to discuss ways we can help each other prevent crime in our neighborhoods. The partnership between police and community is the key to continuing to make Lafourche a great, safe place to live.”
Food and games will be featured at the events and Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office Explorers from POST 323 will conduct fingerprinting and DNA swabbing at each location. McGruff the Crime Dog will also visit several block party locations throughout the parish.
The Roberta Grove neighborhood is one of 25 areas in Houma with a neighborhood watch group. The group will host its National Night Out celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 7 at the 300 block of Roberta Grove Boulevard.
