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Crime rate draws concern at meeting

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published July 23, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Crime and ways to prevent it always seem to top the list of major concerns for most neighborhood associations.

This was clear at the July meeting of the Council of Neighborhood Associations last week at the Sunshine Center.

The meeting swelled to 55 participants, about double the usual number of folks who attend the monthly meeting that addresses common concerns of all neighborhood associations in St. Petersburg.

Among the crowd were officers from the Police Department.

"We had crime on the agenda, and whenever we do, we get a huge turnout," said Karl Nurse, president of CONA.

Among the concerns discussed was the startling statistic that St. Petersburg scores higher than Tampa for crime, Nurse said.

"We have surpassed Tampa in crime rates. We're No. 2 now in the state. But to clarify, over the last five years, crime has actually gone down slightly in St. Pete," he said.

Current statistics indicate that 7.9 crimes per 1,000 citizens are committed each year in the city, according to Nurse.

And though crime in St. Petersburg has actually decreased somewhat during the past few years, other major cities such as Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale have made more significant strides in getting a handle on crime.

"We have surpassed some surrounding cities that used to have 25 percent more crime than us because they've made more progress in decreasing criminal activity," Nurse said.

Some of the concerns aired at the meeting included vacancies in the Police Department and the prospect that nearly two-thirds of St. Petersburg police officers will reach retirement age in the next 10 years.

Nurse said he is frustrated by the department's employment policy that does not accept military experience in lieu of college credit for perspective recruits.

"Is a year serving our country in Iraq of less value than a year spent sitting in a classroom at the local community college?

"I don't understand it," he said.

CONA hopes to be included in the upcoming management review of the Police Department, which will be conducted by an outside organization.

"We have asked to be involved, we're going to try to be involved. The only way you'll get the hard questions asked is if you go beyond the management of the Police Department because then you'll get a different perspective," Nurse said.

Meetings and events

- The Riviera Bay Civic Association has canceled its July meeting.

- The Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association's monthly Crime Watch meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Avenue NE

- A workshop on the Neighborhood Partnership Matching Grant Program will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the City Hall Annex, 440 Second Ave. N. Contact 892-5141 for information. Assistance will be provided in preparation of matching grant requests.

- Bring the kids to Weedon Island's Wee-time at Weedon's "Living Lights: Fireflies in Your Back Yard" program on Aug. 10 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 1800 Weedon Drive NE. The program introduces preschool children to the wonders of the natural world. Children will learn about 2,000 kinds of fireflies through a book-reading and hands-on craft, and other games and activities. The fee is $1 per preschool participant, recommended ages: 3-5. Information and registration: 453-6500 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/Environment.

A homeowner's energy efficiency workshop will be presented Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Weedon Island, 1800 Weedon Drive NE. Bert Henderson of the Pinellas County Extension Service will talk about tips for saving money on utility bills and energy-efficient air conditioning. The fee for the program is $3 per participant; registration is required. Call 453-6500.

Readers wishing to submit information for the Neighborhood Notebook can contact Lorrie Lykins by e-mail at SPTimeslistings@ yahoo.com. The deadline for items submitted for inclusion in the Sunday edition of the Neighborhood Times is Wednesday.

[Last modified July 22, 2006, 20:34:28]