Northwood Hires Its Own Patrol

[lemko]

Could this be part of a trend? Northwood is something of an oasis in the middle of urban decay and chaos.

Northwood taking the law into its own hands?

[robkaotic]

I think it's a solid idea. Nothing wrong with another set of eyes to scour the area, especially in a district that fielded the most calls of any over the last two years. Though it's not quite the same as University City -- which has the 'college' police districts, it drastically improved that area. Maybe a thing more neighborhoods incorporate?

[seand]

I think it's a solid idea. Nothing wrong with another set of eyes to scour the area, especially in a district that fielded the most calls of any over the last two years. Though it's not quite the same as University City -- which has the 'college' police districts, it drastically improved that area. Maybe a thing more neighborhoods incorporate?

He actually looks more like a "cop" than the patrols we have in University City, which are basically a bunch of guys on mountain bikes with cell phones who have to make regular patrols. All they do is phone it in but because they have to hit a circuit of marked spots around the neighborhood it does put a lot of eyes on the street.

Penn does have its own full police department but they mostly do the campus and commercial area around the campus, rarely going into residential areas.

[annie]

Penn does have its own full police department but they mostly do the campus and commercial area around the campus, rarely going into residential areas.

Penn police has undercover officers and they do regularly patrol out into the residential areas.

[mixiboi]

Ideas are good until someone does something to make that idea bad.

Each homeowner that seeks his protection pays Mearing $40 a month to look after a home and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Didn't the mob used to do this too?

Mearing, 42, of South Philly, has been patrolling Northwood since July 1. He isn't your average neighborhood watchman. He says he has 20 years of experience in law enforcement — including seven years with the Berks County Fire Police dealing with traffic control, five years with AlliedBarton security services, and as a personal guard for bigwigs at global companies and Disney celebrities including Emily Osment.

Mearing has lethal-weapons certification and has completed much of the same training as Philadelphia police officers. His startup business is covered by Costanza, a security-insurance company that provides him with up to $1 million in liability insurance.

Mearing is aiming to get 200 clients, which would bring in $96,000 a year. At that point, he said, he might be able to hire another officer.

Currently it's a one-man show. Mearing works seven days a week, 12 hours a day. He pays $150 per week for gas, and said that at the moment he isn't making a profit from the gig.

Now all his paperwork lines up, but what about the next one? For every Northwood there is a Zimmerman.

[seand]

Penn police has undercover officers and they do regularly patrol out into the residential areas.

Interesting. The uniformed officers who Penn police send out to the community groups every month for updates never talk about this. Its almost always about trends very close to campus in terms of stolen bikes, car break-ins and backpacks.

The Safety Embassadors are clearly a bigger presence in terms people on the street by far. Rather than one guy with a gun, its a lot of less well paid, unarmed people patrolling around the clock so the point is, its a slightly different strategy.

Also, when this guy in Northwood sees something suspicious does this guy not call it in if the person is not on the subscriber list or what?

[palvar]

The district — which covers Tacony, Mayfair, Holmesburg, Frankford and Bridesburg — is the city's busiest, with 248,871 dispatched calls in 2011.

Almost 700 calls a day! That is crazy.

[Mayfair]

Ideas are good until someone does something to make that idea bad.

For every Northwood there is a Zimmerman.

I hear ya, but what is the alternative? What is the answer?

You've got a police captain who readily admits that the 15th is the biggest and busiest district in the city, and yet nothing gets done about it. Criminals see the open door, and they are charging through it in droves knowing that they'll get away with their crimes because the district is so short handed.

What was Northwood supposed to do? Complaining to every elected official who will listen to them obviously didn't help.

"City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, whose district includes Northwood, says she understands the neighborhood's concerns, but is uneasy about a potential worst-case scenario."

Even when alerted to Northwood's plan, their elected officials decided to go on the record stating that they were "uneasy" with the idea instead of actually helping the people who put them in office and getting them better police coverage. Coverage that they DESERVE! It's all such a effin shame! You're left with your hands tied and even when you try to free yourself of the "system" and handle things on your own, you're still doing the wrong thing.

If not private security, what is the answer?

Perhaps:

[ArcticSplash]

Thanks for starting this thread--loveisnoise will be coming around to pollute it and accuse 80 year old Northeast ladies in their rowhomes of being terrorist tire-slashing guerrillas in 5...4...3...2...

[lemko]

Ideas are good until someone does something to make that idea bad.

Each homeowner that seeks his protection pays Mearing $40 a month to look after a home and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

Didn't the mob used to do this too?




Now all his paperwork lines up, but what about the next one? For every Northwood there is a Zimmerman.

From what I recall, mob-protected neighborhoods were often clean, peaceful places free of trash, graffiti, and hoodrats. Anybody who caused a ruckus in these places never did it again! My old girlfriend's South Philly neighborhood was absolutely spotless!

[lemko]

I hear ya, but what is the alternative? What is the answer?

You've got a police captain who readily admits that the 15th is the biggest and busiest district in the city, and yet nothing gets done about it. Criminals see the open door, and they are charging through it in droves knowing that they'll get away with their crimes because the district is so short handed.

What was Northwood supposed to do? Complaining to every elected official who will listen to them obviously didn't help.

"City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, whose district includes Northwood, says she understands the neighborhood's concerns, but is uneasy about a potential worst-case scenario."

Even when alerted to Northwood's plan, their elected officials decided to go on the record stating that they were "uneasy" with the idea instead of actually helping the people who put them in office and getting them better police coverage. Coverage that they DESERVE! It's all such a effin shame! You're left with your hands tied and even when you try to free yourself of the "system" and handle things on your own, you're still doing the wrong thing.

If not private security, what is the answer?

Perhaps:

The 15th District could also use these guys to help clean up the 'hood!

[phillyaggie]

^ like the reference to "Dirty Harry", seeing how the private guard's name is Harry Mearing!

how soon before we privatize our fire protection? how about private streets? and private transit (well, private car pooling is always an option). our public schools are going down the privatization route already. who needs gubmint?!

[seand]

Dude, I really do not think you actually want fictional character Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver patrolling the streets of Northwood.

#1 shooting random politicians to impress a girl, really not cool

#2 everyone knows Jodi Foster is not playing for Travis's team these days

[Mayfair]

how soon before we privatize our fire protection? how about private streets? and private transit (well, private car pooling is always an option). our public schools are going down the privatization route already. who needs gubmint?!

VERY valid points!

Do you think some of these neighborhoods would be better off breaking free from the city and becoming their own little towns?

[uly55es1]

Seems like a good idea. I know no one on this thread can answer the following questions but here goes any way. Say this hired guard does something that results in his getting sued. What, if any, is the liability of the home homeowners that have chipped in $40.00 to pay his salary? Second, if liable would your home owners insurance cover your part of a judgment against the guard? I would want the answer to those questions before I participate in something like this.

[Jtom]

I don't have a problem with this at all. Northwood is basically an island surrounded by ghetto. If the police are won't protect and patrol the area, then the residents need to do something about it.

[3rd&Brown]

VERY valid points!

Do you think some of these neighborhoods would be better off breaking free from the city and becoming their own little towns?

Terrible idea. This basically describes eastern Delco. How's that going for them?

I'm not saying this (hiring private security) is a terrible idea, I don't think it is. But it's not much different than an overlay...and they exist all over all sorts of cities. BIDs, NIDs, etc. This is what that really resembles to me.

[nickster]

While I think this is a good idea, I also think it is just another excuse for the local police to slack off and hide their heads in the sand even more. Why should they bother, or even attempt to bother, if the locals are doing their jobs for them. It's a slippery slope. We are paying taxes for what???

[ArcticSplash]

I don't have a problem with this at all. Northwood is basically an island surrounded by ghetto. If the police are won't protect and patrol the area, then the residents need to do something about it.

I'm inclined to agree.

What's so different about this vs. closed campuses like the Navy Yard.

If my neighbors had money we'd probably have Blackwater patrolling out streets.

[ILoveBeer]

I signed up and I pay. I have a home at the shore so I'm not here on weekends, my Northwood home has been robbed twice. For this guy to ride down my street a couple times an hour make me happy. The 15th does nothing for this area