Ask Capt. Chandler: Tips to Fight Rising Crime

THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

“All crimes seem to be on the rise in our neighborhoods. Do you have any tips on how we can be more vigilant in preventing crime? Some of our surrounding communities have been installing license plate readers on neighboring streets. Can you tell me how many crimes have been solved and arrests made in the last 12 months that can be attributed to the Natomas license plate readers?”
-Natomas Crossing Resident

Tips for being more vigilant:

A license plate reader cameras installed in Natomas. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo

• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Look around and stay alert.
• Carry a cell phone to report emergencies. Keep in mind that when using your cell phone, your attention to your safety may be distracted.
• Report crimes to the Sacramento Police Department as soon as possible and when safe to do so. For emergencies, call 911 immediately. For non-emergency matters call (916) 808-5471.
• Stay connected with your neighbors and communicate about any potential suspicious activity in your neighborhood.
• Park in well lit areas. After parking, be sure to lock all doors, ensure all windows are rolled up and activate the car alarm. Do not leave anything visible in your vehicle.
• If your house has a garage, park inside.
• Exterior lighting and surveillance cameras help reduce and solve crimes.
• Do not leave packages outside. Schedule to have them delivered when you are home or to a secure location.

Unfortunately, we don’t use anything to track arrests that are a result of the license plate readers.

These community-installed license plate readers help our officers and detectives solve crimes. Specifically, when we obtain videos of crimes that have occurred, we are able to gather significant evidence, such as videos or pictures of vehicles, license plates and/or descriptions of people involved. These key pieces of evidence provide our officers and detectives pertinent information for follow up investigation to determine who has committed the crime(s).

—Capt.Chandler

Captain Vance Chandler oversees the Sacramento Police Dept.’s north-area command, which includes Natomas. To submit your questions to Captain Vance, send an email to [email protected] with “Ask Capt. Chandler” in the subject line.