For their part, police warn residents about suspects on the lam. The information is conveyed through block captains and watch groups, who pass it on to neighbors, Scutti said. Any time people read of a house being broken into, it fuels anxiety. Police have tried to establish closer ties with residents. They run tours of headquarters several times a week for organizations.
Officers talk informally to residents at block parties and cookouts.
They provide free home-security surveys. Pedestrian and traffic safety also is a top priority. But when the force is short-handed, police officers are pulled off traffic duty. The department plans to hire three special traffic officers this year, which will free three police officers for patrol and other duties, Scutti said. This year, police have emphasized enforcement of pedestrian and speed laws.