Welcome to the Safety Page

Welcome to the Tehama Ridge Safety Page

If you’ve ever watched TV programs like Survivor and Big Brother, you know that forming alliances can make a difference when it comes to winning. Why are alliances so important? When people work together, they can achieve more than one person can do alone. The Tehama Ridge Safety Committee is asking you to join with us to form an alliance to strengthen our community and preserve our quality of life. One of the best ways we can do that is to prevent crime and make our neighborhood safer.

What part can you play in our alliance?

Get to know your neighbors. Look out for each other. If you see a garage door open, let your neighbors know. They may have forgotten to close it after coming home with groceries or doing yard work.
Report any suspicious activity by calling 911 or the non-emergency number 817-335-4222. Provide as much information as possible, such as vehicle license plate number, description, and address of activity.
Become active by participating in the Code Blue Citizens on Patrol program. Even for one hour a month, patrol the neighborhood (vehicle, foot, or bicycle).

For any questions related to the Safety Committee or the Code: Blue Citizens on Patrol (COP) program, contact the Safety Committee chairperson and the COP Captain at 214-293-2258 or email safety@tehamaridge.com

North Fort Worth Police

Crime Prevention and Safety Fair

Saturday, October 4

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Home Depot Parking Lot

I-35W and Basswood

Get your kids fingerprinted, get your car etched, see the police helicopter up close and personal, meet people and learn more about graffiti, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Citizens on Patrol, animal control, Help End Auto Theft (HEAT) program, and much much more.

Texans Against Crime

Tuesday, October 14

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Tehama Ridge Pool

The Texans Against Crime (T.A.C.™) program promotes neighborhood alliances to strengthen our communities and preserve the quality of life in Texas. Through T.A.C.™, we can strengthen our communities by helping to educate our families, friends, and neighbors on crime prevention.

The T.A.C.™ program helps local governmental agencies inform residents that communities are safer when neighbors work together. Getting to know your neighbors is an important step in guaranteeing safety in your communities.

To participate, Tehama Ridge is asking neighbors to:

Gather with your neighbors at the pool parking lot and green space between 6-8 p.m. and learn more about how to keep our neighborhood safer. Bring your children. We have requested police cars, fire trucks, the police helicopter, etc. so everyone can become more familiar with our police/fire departments.
Turn your porch lights on that night (good to do every night) to show your support of making our neighborhood safer

Why Burglaries and Thefts are Committed

Property is often “fenced” for money or narcotics
Insurance Fraud
Relationship disputes (ex-girl/boy friend, divorce, ex-roommate)

Items Most Often Taken in Burglaries/Thefts

Electronics (TVs, Stereos, DVD players, cameras, computers)
Jewelry
Appliances
Fire arms
Cigarettes and beer
Golf clubs
Lawn equipment
Tools

Common Entry Points for Burglars

Front or rear door (forced or with a key)
Rear sliding doors
Rear windows
Garage doors (open or forced)

If you see a suspicious vehicle, call 911. This includes vehicles:

Occupied by an unfamiliar person, slowing cruising the neighborhood or parked in an unusual spot
That has an unreadable, dirty, covered license plate or no plate
That are backed into a driveway with easy access to garage or front door

If you see a suspicious person, call 911. This includes people:

Sneaking around
Not known to live in the neighborhood
Asking for temporary work
Going from house to house for no apparent reason
Knocking on doors for no apparent reason
Carrying unwrapped items, such as TVs, stereos, computers, etc.

Code: Blue Citizens on Patrol

Citizens On Patrol (COP) are volunteer citizens who, after being screened, background checked, and trained by their local law enforcement agency, wear identifiable uniforms and patrol their communities acting as "Eyes and Ears" for law enforcement.

COP groups have been in use within the United States for over 20 years. The number of individual Citizen Patrol volunteers within the United States is estimated to be over 75,000 with groups in every state of the nation.

By patrolling their community, on a regular basis, usually in 1-2 hour shifts, Citizen Patrol volunteers become more familiar with their community and are better able to recognize "suspicious" activity and notify the authorities. Due to their focused patrol activity, it is not uncommon for COP volunteers to observe crimes in progress. COP volunteers do not take enforcement action, they only observe and report. Citizen Patrol volunteers are not authorized to carry weapons and are encouraged to avoid physical contact. The COP volunteers greatest weapon is their established bond with local law enforcement and their ability to communicate directly with them by radio

Tehama Ridge has a COP group that works closely with the Fort Worth Police Department. Contact the Tehama Ridge COP captain at 214-293-2258 for more information, or email safety@tehamaridge.com, or visit www.northcops.com and click on crime prevention.

Back to School Safety

Our new middle school is open. Watch out for children walking to school, riding bikes, or waiting for school buses.

Obey all traffic laws related to school buses. Sow down, obey school zone speed limits, and stop for school buses. Stay alert. Children may not be looking for oncoming traffic when they step into the roadway.

The most dangerous time of a student’s journey on a school bus is when they are entering or exiting the bus. State law requires that approaching drivers stop when a school bus is stopped and operating a visual signal (red flashing lights or a stop sign).

State law requirements

State law requires approaching drivers to stop when a school bus is stopped and operating a visual signal (red flashing lights or a stop sign). Drivers should not proceed until the school bus resumes motion; the driver is signaled by the bus driver to proceed; or the visual signal is no longer activated. A driver does not have to stop for a school bus if it is on a highway with roadways separated by an intervening space or physical barrier. (If a highway is divided only by a left-turning lane, the roadways are not separated, and drivers must stop for school buses.)

Punishment for drivers who do not stop

Drivers who do not stop for school buses face a fine of up to $1,000. If you are convicted of this offense more than one time, your license can be suspended for up to six months. A ticket for illegally passing a school bus cannot be dismissed through defensive driving.

Links:

Vehicle Theft/Burglary Prevention

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/automobile_theft_prevention_authority/default.htm

McGruff the Crime Dog

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=mcgruff+the+crime+dog&page=1&qsrc=178&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mcgruff.org%2F

Help End Auto Theft (HEAT) program:

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/automobile_theft_prevention_authority/heat.htm

Fort Worth City Services Guide

http://www.fortworthgov.org/cityservicesguide/default.aspx?id=1366

City of Fort Worth

http://www.fortworthgov.org/

Texas Department of Public Safety