Briarwood Area ~ Since 1997 ~
Neighborhood Association
Little Rock's Second Safest Neighborhood
BANA Crime Watch
changes its name to
BANA Neighborhood Watch
Nine were present at the October meeting of the BANA Crime Watch, held 5:30 PM at the home of James Thomson: Joan Bachman, Jim Bell, Bill Cook, Betty Danley, Saundra Gibbs, Joe Rossi, Bill Stuff, James Thomson and Lesa Zarin. In addition, Sgt. Ben Watson of the LRPD was on hand to bring everyone up to date on crime stats in the BANA area
The most important item of business was changing the name of the BANA Crime Watch to BANA Neighborhood Watch.
The subject of commercial door-to-door solicitations was brought up. It was agreed that persons selling services or goods door to door were supposed to be licensed by the city but it remained unclear how they were supposed to be identified, if they were to wear tags or labels to their outer clothing, or what. Inquiries to city departments have not been fruitful so far.
Sales of Girl Scout cookies and other public organizations do not need to be licensed.
Left to right: Block Captains Bill Stuff and Joe Rossi listen as BANA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator James Thomson starts the meeting.
Sgt. Ben Watson Bill of the LRPD.
Crime is down in Briarwood
since the end of summer
According to Little Rock Police Department's Sgt. Ben Watson, the good news is that, compared to other neighborhoods, the BANA area continues to have less residential crime. (LRPD Briarwood residential crime stats omit the University Mall which has been recently purchased by the Strode Company and will soon be taken down, which should be a further help to us.)
Sgt. Watson brought a chart (to the right of his photo above) showing that the number of reported crime incidents had decreased sharply in Briarwood since July.
Watson attributed the decrease to the start of school towards the end of August.
He warned, however, to stay on guard because criminal activity usually increases during the holiday season.
Chart of reported crime incidents in Briarwood for July, August and September, 2007.
Clockwise: BANA Neighborhood Watch Coordinator James Thomson, Block Captains Lesa Zarin, Saundra Gibbs, Bill Cook, Joan Bachman and Betty Danley.