Now I know that crime prevention needs to be the foundation of any agency. Just six months ago, Jones moved his specialists to five police substations. In briefing patrol officers about the change, he stressed that the crime prevention specialists would make their jobs easier and improve the quality of information received from citizens. In addition, the decentralization strategy compliments the department's commitment to community policing and won support from upper management. The crime prevention specialists work directly with the captains and patrol officers at each substation, but attend weekly staff meetings convened by Jones.
Specialists educate police officers on crime prevention issues through three programs.
First, they help organize Neighborhood Watch groups and train members to give high-quality information to the police. The second involves participation in the Las Vegas Crime Free Multihousing Program by persuading apartment complex managers to attend a seminar that addresses selecting good tenants, recognizing criminal activity, interacting with the police, and evicting bad tenants. This program includes conducting security surveys and organizing a tenants' meeting. Bill Tullock, a former police officer from Detroit and now a crime prevention specialist, sees this happening. For information, contact Sgt.