Retired MRPD Chief's Discussion

The Mount Rainier Police Department is one of many law enforcement agencies to participate in intense three day training sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Council for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, better known as CPTED. CPTED, a concept which started over twenty years ago, is a vastly growing practice through the United States and in some cases, the world. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design is based on a premise that “The proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the fear of crime and incidents of crime, and to an improvement in the quality of life”. CPTED strategies are ideal for law enforcement officers, city planners, architects, security consultants, educators and anyone involved in designing neighborhoods, schools, down town districts, commercial and industrial building, or revitalization efforts. CPTED is an effective way of fighting crime and promoting a better way of life for all involved. The goal

March 24 th : 3600 block of Rhode Island Avenue : Traffic – 3:15am. Officers stopped a 2000 Volvo S90 for a traffic violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver did not have a license. He was issued several state citations and his vehicle was impounded. 4700 block of 31 st Place : Theft from auto – 7:20am. The owner of a 1999 GMC Yukon told officers that sometime between 1:30 this morning and the time he called police someone broke out the front passenger window and stole a radio/CD changer from inside. 4500 block of Eastern Avenue (BP station) : Found property – 8:10am. Officers patrolling the area when they were stopped by a citizen who had found several credit cards in the parking lot. The officers took possession of the cards and attempts to locate the owner proved negative. Officers then contacted the credit card companies who said they would take responsibility for notifying the owner. 4000 block of 35 th Street : Telephone misuse – 10:20am. Officers received a

March 17 th : 4000 block of 36 th Street : Miscellaneous incident – 1:15pm. The mother of two teenage girls called to speak with an officer regarding their behavior. The mother was upset because her daughters were not listening to her. The officer took the girls’ information and referred both to the department’s Street Corps program. 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue : DUI/Vehicle impound – 9:45pm. Officers stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation. Further investigation revealed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol. He failed standard field sobriety testing (SFST) and admitted to having several drinks. He was arrested, charged with DUI and released to the custody of DOC. His vehicle was impounded for safekeeping. March 16 th : 3100 block of Queens Chapel Road : CDS possession – 12:44am. Officers were patrolling the area when they were flagged down by a gas station attendant. The attendant told the officers that there was a man was passed out behind the wheel of a

March 10 th : 4300 block of Russell Avenue : Miscellaneous incident – 6:15am. Officers responded for the report of a possible sexual assault. The officers’ investigation revealed that a known female prostitute was picked up by two men at a club in DC. When the woman went to leave the residence she asked the men for a ride home. When they declined to give her a ride she called police and reported that she had been sexually assaulted. When officers questioned her about the alleged assault she refused to answer the officers’ questions and said she only wanted a ride home. When the officers told her she would get a ride only after they completed their investigation she refused to speak with them further and left on foot. 2900 block of Bunker Hill Road : Vandalism to auto – 9am. The owner of a 2001 Dodge Neon told officers that sometime between 5:45pm on the 9 th and 6:30am this morning someone smashed out the rear driver’s side window of her vehicle. Evidence showed that the vehicle’s i

March 3 rd : 3300 block of Buchanan Street : Vehicle impound – 1:15am. Officers impounded an abandoned 2004 Acura TL. The vehicle was found to have ignition and door handle damage and a flat tire. March 2 nd : 4000 block of 33 rd Street : Theft from auto – 8:35am. The owner of a 2003 Honda told officers that he came out to his vehicle this morning to discover the front passenger window smashed out and a GPS unit stolen from inside. 3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue : Criminal citation – 3:10pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking an alcoholic beverage in public. 3100 block of Queens Chapel Road : Attempt citizen robbery – 8pm. Officers responded for the report of a fight. When the officers arrived they interviewed a man who said that a group of black males assaulted him and tried to steal his cell phone. The victim, who sustained blunt force injuries to his face and mouth, was able to give the officers a description of his assailants. Officers canvassed the area