Dispatch from 14th District Business C.A.P.S Meeting, 4/19

The 14th Police District C.A.P.S. business meeting Tuesday morning (4/19) was introduced by Adam Burck of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce and featured a presentation by Ron Rufo of the Chicago Police Department on burglary prevention.

All the usual rules still apply: good lighting, good locks, don’t let landscaping like high bushes in front of windows provide cover for thieves. Also, set up a phone tree to notify neighbors quickly of criminals in the area (probably more useful in cases of shoplifting). The phone tree idea leads to another--know your neighbors. Nosy neighbors can be your best defense against bad guys, Rufo noted. A couple things that I’d never really thought of was posting your address on your back door or alley entrance--officers trying to cover the escape of a suspect might end up sitting in the wrong place. Also, shut off the electricity to garage doors when you close for the night. Burglars, while not being the “sharpest knives in the drawer, aren‘t stupid,” and can open those things.

You can give Rufo a call at 312-745-5838, ext. 84652, and he’ll come over and look your business or home over and tell you how to better crime-proof it. He added that he “won’t open up a can worms” by calling the fire department or some other agency about building-code violations or whatever. --Pat J. Daily

(ed note: for coverage of a similar meeting from 2009, click here)