Crime Prevention

Below are some Crime Prevention resources for you and your neighborhood association. Feel free to copy and distribute these as needed. Click the document names to download the document.

Fighting Crime Together — Background on how to get started and get everyone involved.

Citizen's Preparedness Guide — This National Crime Prevention Council publication details simple steps that can be taken to protect our families and communities during an emergency.

City of Oklahoma City Sign Ordinance

Installation Tips for Neighborhood Signs

Neighborhood Alliance and the Oklahoma City Police Department want to help you create a safe place for you and your neighbors to live. Contact our office at (405) 528-6322 if you are interested in starting a Crime Watch or a Volunteer Crime Patrol program in your neighborhood.

It takes concerned citizens to start a Crime Watch or Patrol program, but we will help you get it organized.

There are two types of citizen crime prevention training available:

1. Crime Watch:

Neighborhood Alliance will come to your neighborhood and train you and your neighbors how to watch out for each other. Things to look for, how to report and where to report are all covered. Neighbors in attendance commit to watching out for the neighbors on each side of them and the two houses in the front of them.

Crime Watch is a very effective tool in cutting crime and criminal behavior in a neighborhood. It creates trust among neighbors and gets neighbors actively involved with their community. Call Neighborhood Alliance to ask about a crime watch training for your neighborhood.

2. Volunteer Crime Patrol:

The ultimate step toward neighborhood safety! With Volunteer Crime patrol Neighborhood Alliance and the OKC Police Department train your neighborhood how to operate a successful Crime Watch program.After training, volunteers will be able to drive around and "patrol" the neighborhood looking for suspicious activity, acting as the eyes and the ears of the local police department, and creating an extra barrier of supervision for your community.Each patrolling team consists of two people who sign up for 2-hour shifts. Patrol team members must be trained by the OKC Police Department prior to going on duty. A neighborhood must have a minimum of 30 volunteer patrollers willing to be trained before the OKC Police Department can sanction the Neighborhood Patrol.With 30 patrollers, each team would only have to do two, 2-hour shifts a month! Even a few hours patrolling a week can make a huge difference in reducing criminal behavior in your neighborhood.

Call (405) 528-6322 today to organize your crime prevention workshop!

For Upcoming Crime Watch Patrol Trainings Visit our Calendar of Events - CLICK HERE

Ordering Crime Watch Signs

Once you have the official Crime Watch or Crime Patrol training, you are eligible to order and install your very own Neighborhood Watch signage.  There are many local sign companies that will make these for you.  The prices vary widely so plan to get several bids and price compare.

You can use a stock design or design a friendlier version for your neighborhood.   You could design one with your Neighborhood logo or name, and say “Black Acre Neighborhood says Welcome:  We are a crime watch neighborhood”

One place not listed in the yellow pages is OCI, Oklahoma Correctional Industries; they consist of the prison work-force.  They make good quality signs but they will not sell to individuals, you must be a neighborhood or HOA in order to purchase their signs.  They have some designs in stock or you can send graphics for your own design.   OCI and other sign companies also make the magnetic signs that go on the patrollers’ cars, and decals that some neighborhoods want to appear on every person’s front door.  Shop around for your best price.

Oklahoma Correctional Industries (OCI) can be reached at 1-800-522-3565 or ocisales.com

Sign Specifics:

• Signs must be metal
• They cannot be larger than 4sq. ft.
• You can design anything for your neighborhood sign; you do not have to use one of the stock signs.
• You are responsible for installing the signs yourself (see Installation Tips)
• Ask your sign company to drill the holes where needed for installation
• Signs should be installed on Breakaway Poles (see more info on poles below)
• For best visibility, City of OKC recommends the signs be 7ft. off the ground measured from the ground to the bottom of the sign

Permitting:

• You must get a revocable permit in order to install these signs in your neighborhood.  You can put all your sign locations on one permit application and just pay one fee.  You will apply for and get the permit from the City of OKC Development Services, 297-2459.
• If you plan on attaching any of the signs to existing sign poles, you must obtain permission from the Chief Traffic Engineer at the City of OKC.  You can reach them at (405) 297-2532 or Stuart.Chai@okc.gov 
• Before you dig, be sure and Call Okie to make sure there aren’t any underground cables.  (405) 840-5032

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Other Signage for Your Neighborhood

“Watch for Children Playing” Signs

• Your neighborhood is responsible for purchasing these signs BUT the City of OKC will install them for you.
• You can purchase the “Watch for Children Playing” signs from OCI, Oklahoma Correctional Industries at 1-800-522-3565 or research and find your own sign fabricator
• Contact City of OKC Traffic and Lighting Department to get detailed sign specifications and/or to arrange installation.  (405) 297-2532 or Stuart.chai@okc.gov

Identity Signage or Banners on Light Poles

There are many rules and requirements regarding signage on light poles, so please contact the persons below BEFORE you start your project.  Some banners are dangerous for light poles in that the banners act like sails and over several windy seasons can endanger the integrity of the pole, causing a safety hazard.

• You must gain permission from both OGE and City of OKC in order to hang anything from a public utility pole.
• If there are no banner brackets on the pole, you are responsible for purchasing them.  Sign companies can refer you to some retailers, or you can use Pelco Products, located in Edmond.  (405) 3403434 or email Pelco@pelcoinc.com
• OGE and ask for the application which is called a “Pole Attachment Data Sheet.”  Gary Copeland at (405) 553-5753 or copelage@oge.com
• Contact City of OKC Traffic and Lighting Department:  Stuart Chai, Chief Traffic Engineer, (405) 297-2532 or Stuart.chai@okc.gov

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Tips on Installing Metal Signage

If you plan on installing your signs on existing poles that belong to the City of OKC you must get permission from the OKC Traffic and Lighting Department first.   Typically, for safety reasons they will not allow any identity or crime watch signs to be installed on an existing traffic  directional sign (Stop sign, Yield sign, One Way sign, etc.)

Poles

• Unless it is a “Children Playing” sign you will be responsible for providing your own poles.
• Breakaway Poles are recommended.  You can purchase these sign poles at two locations in OKC

1.)  Action Safety Supplies (405) 787-2244

2.)  Roadsafe Traffic Systems (405) 232-3414

• They also sell “sleeves” or “caps” for these poles.  These go in the ground first to hold the pole in place and are highly recommended.
• For best visibility, City of OKC recommends the signs be 7 feet off the ground measured from the ground to the bottom of the sign

Plan the placement of the signs

• Signs cannot impede the line of sight for traffic.
• For your permit you will need to provide a Site Map.  A map of your neighborhood with all your sign placements outlined and identified by using a legend.

Get Written Permission from the Property Owner

• If the sign is to be placed on private property, even the easement of private property, be a good neighbor and gain written permission for the property owner.
• Always call OKIE to check for underground cables and hazards

Who Installs?

Most neighborhoods install their own signs.
You can hire a professional, but that can double your sign project costs.

GRAFFITI IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME

It hurts property values, scares away shoppers, and creates a climate of lawlessness that often leads to more serious crime. The mere presence of graffiti can instill fear, making people feel trapped, powerless, and intimidated in their own homes. When graffiti exists in a neighborhood, prospective business and homeowners look elsewhere to live and work.

It is important to move quickly to report, document and clean up graffiti vandalism. Speedy clean up makes a repeat offense less likely. Most vandals tire of wasting their paint and time when no one can see their tag (artwork) for more than a day of two.

When "taggers" know that neighborhoods are watching more closely, they don't return for fear of being caught and going to jail.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

  If you see Graffiti in progress call 911!!

  If you remove it yourself, take pictures first.

  Report graffiti immediately to OKC Action Center 297-2535.

GRAFFITI REMOVAL FROM A PUBLIC UTILITY OR PHONE SWITCH BOX

If the graffiti is painted on a public utility pole, utility equipment box or telephone company relay box, call the customer service department of the utility company that is responsible for that equipment. They will send someone out to remove the graffiti.

GUIDELINES FOR USING 911

Information furnished by Msgt. M. W. Loruse & Lt. R. B. Mercer

WHEN SHOULD I CALL 911?

Dial 911 in an emergency or to report information to the police. If you are not sure, call 911 and let us determine if the situation requires an emergency response. If we determine your call does not meet the emergency guidelines, we will supply you with the telephone number to call the agency that can provide the services needed.

911 is a phone number that is used to get the police to respond to anything that has to do with safety. It does not have to be an emergency in progress. For example, you would call 911 to report an auto burglary that was just discovered but happened a week ago. When dialing 911 a professionally trained call taker receives your call.

911 can be called free of charge from any phone including a cell phone. The dispatcher (the person answering the call) can quickly see where the caller is and can send a police officer to your location even without the caller giving any information about where they are or what is happening. For example, if someone breaks into your home at night and you are afraid to talk out loud for fear that you might be heard, the dispatcher can send a police officer to your residence to check on your welfare without your even saying a word. Please note, cell phone users must give the dispatcher their location.

ANONYMOUSLY REPORTING CRIME IN OKLAHOMA CITY?

Call 231-2121

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

231-2121 is also an emergency phone number that goes to the same place as 911, only the dispatcher, the person who answers the call, can't see who or where the caller is calling from. The caller can remain anonymous (unknown) when using this number.

The 231-2121 number may be good if someone sees gang members that live next door drinking and fighting. The caller may want the police to stop them before there is trouble but does not want the police to come to their door so that the gang members know who called in the complaint.

Remember, the problem with calling the anonymous 231-2121 number is that if you give the wrong location, the police will never know how to contact you to get the correct address. They also cannot locate you in case of emergencies.

The 231-2121 number is a great tool to use if you want to report suspicious activity but do not want to be identified with the report, but use it wisely. Do not use this number instead of 911 if you want immediate attention from the police.

Coming Soon