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Y! MyWebJ.A.M., law enforcement agencies partner on crime watch
Friday, July 04, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — For Ramona Henry of Springfield/Clark County J.A.M., it's a simple question, "How can we feel safer in our neighborhoods?"
J.A.M. — Justice Action & Mercy, a volunteer organization comprised of representatives from 16 area religious groups — and Clark County Triad — joined forces with the Springfield Police Division and the Clark County Sheriff's office Thursday, June 3 to kick off a countywide crime watch campaign.
Pointing to the success of J.A.M.'s Hot Spot crime reporting cards in the city of Springfield, these organizations launched a plan to begin distributing the cards all across Clark County. The Hot Spot card allows citizens to anonymously report possible crimes or instances of neglect by simply filling out the card and dropping it in the mail to J.A.M. offices. J.A.M. then processes the cards and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement.
So far, the Hot Spot cards have yielded an impressive success rate, said Bill Salyers, co-chair of Clark County Triad. Arrests followed roughly 50 percent of the tips that have been turned in, he said. Calling the cards a "tool to make Clark County safer," Salyers promised that both the Triad and J.A.M. organizations would distribute them at local events and make them available to outlying communities.
Sheriff Gene Kelley praised the Hot Spot cards, citing the role a Hot Spot tip played in the investigation of the Titus Arnold slaying.
"J.A.M. has already developed a tool that works," said Salyers. "We don't need to reinvent that wheel; we just need to put that wheel on the road.
The officials signed an agreement before the 69 attendees at Thursday's Clark County Triad SALT council. The agreement included a pledge to work in partnership to reduce crime not only in the city of Springfield, but all across Clark County.
