Holiday Town Hall Meeting

St. Louis County Police Department
Colonel Tim Fitch Chief of Police
St. Louis County Police Department
Central County Precinct Phone: 314-567-9926

The St. Louis County Police Department and Chief Tim Fitch are proud to announce the Central County Precinct will be hosting a Holiday Police Town Hall Meeting on December 2, 2009. The meeting will be held at the Parkway Instructional Service Center, located at 12657 Fee Fee Road. The events for the evening will begin at 7 pm and conclude at 9 pm.

The Town Hall Meeting will consist of two guest speakers who will cover a variety of police-related topics. The first guest speaker is Jerry McQueen, Deputy Fire Marshall from the Creve Coeur Fire Department who will speak on fire safety during the holiday season. Our second guest speaker will be Ray Amanat who will present an interactive discussion on your personal safety during the holiday season.

We look forward to meeting and interacting with the members of our neighborhood watch groups, citizen’s academy alumni, subdivision trustees, and any citizen of the Central County Precinct. Seating is limited, please RSVP to our e-mail addresses below or call the precinct to reserve your seat.

E-mail:
jellis@stlouisco.com
Jmilam@stlouisco.com
tpanus@stlouisco.com

Crime Report / Travel Safety Class

Theft from Vehicles - Keep Items Out of Sight, Lock Doors

On April 18, between 6:10 p.m. and 8:40 p.m. there was a theft of two GPS units, a purse, and an ipod from a parking lot of a health club.

On April 21, there were two more reports of thefts from unlocked vehicles in the area of Spoede Road between Olive Blvd and Ladue Road. In one case, a purse was taken from an unlocked vehicle parked in an open garage. The theft occurred between Monday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

At this time there is no suspect description.

Remember, when leaving your vehicle, please remove these types of items from plain view and always lock your doors.

Safety While Traveling Class

On Wednesday, April 29 The Creve Coeur Police Department will give a free presentation on Vacation Safety. The class will be held in the Creve Coeur Government Center Multi Purpose Room. The class will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

To reserve your spot, please call the Crime Prevention Office at 314-872-2540.

As always, report suspicious activity immediately to the police department by calling 314-432-8000 or 911.

New Neighborhood Policing Officer

Jim Molden, our neighborhood policing officer, was recently reassigned. Jeff Milam has been named as his replacement, and Jim's partner for the past year, Joe Ellis, is still available to handle any issues.

They can be reached at the following:

Joe Ellis
Jeff Milam

Office number: 314-567-9935
Station number: 314-567-9926

Jim wishes us his best, and we wish him the best in his new endeavors.

Attention Brookdale Grandparents

Come meet and greet one another for a Grandparent's Day brunch at First Watch on Ballas at Olive Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. Bring one or more photos of your grandchildren. Then visit Bradburn's in the same shopping strip for their Grandparents Day sale where everything will be 25% off.

R.S.V.P. to Marsha Bohm at mBohm26@yahoo.com so she can tell our hosts how many to expect. We hope to see you there.

Neighborhood Watch Alert

From our neighborhood police officer:

I was recently contacted by Ladue School District and informed several young men have been approaching homeowners in our area soliciting contributions for a school sanctioned event. The individuals our claiming they are students within the Ladue School District and are misrepresenting themselves to falsely collect money.

Please be cautious with giving money or making purchases from door-to-door solicitors. In St. Louis County solicitors must have a permit issued to them by the county. If a solicitor has been issued a permit, their business has been verified as legitimate. Therefore, if you encounter any solicitors and they cannot provide you a copy of their license and/or you do not feel comfortable with them, please contact us immediately so we may check them out.

Second, I am seeing an increase in open garage doors during the overnight hours. Please take the extra minute or so to ensure they are closed. This will help eliminate your chances of becoming a victim of a crime.

Last but not least, I notice a trend with folks contacting their neighborhood watch contacts and/or subdivision trustee’s regarding reporting a crime. Thus, our office receiving the information third party and with significant delay. Please, if you are victim of a crime or witness something, contact us immediately. Feel free to alert others, but make us your first phone call. Time is usually of the essence when investigating a criminal offense. As always, if you should have any questions please feel free to get in touch with me anytime.

I hope everyone has an outstanding Thanksgiving Holiday!

Solicitors in the Creve Coeur Area

In the last week, we have had several complaints of solicitors in the area. In most of the reports, the charity or school the solicitors represent has been different. Please be cautious with giving money or making purchases from door to door solicitors. In the City of Creve Coeur , solicitors must have a permit issued to them by the city. If a solicitor has been issued a permit, their business has been verified as legitimate.

In the recent reports the solicitors have been described as white males and females, late teens to early 20's, and clean cut.

Important things to know about solicitors in Creve Coeur...

Soliciting Hours:

No person shall solicit canvass, or distribute handbills within the corporate limits of the city except between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and the time designated as sunset published for that date in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch or 7:30 p.m., whichever is earlier.

General Prohibitions:

• No solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller shall enter upon any private property where the property is clearly posted by a sign visible and legible from the right-of-way, public or private, indicating a prohibition against soliciting, canvassing, or handbilling at said property. It shall be sufficient for such sign to contain the words "no solicitors" in letters of at least two (2) inches in height.

• If any solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller shall enter any private property, which property is not posted by a sign, as provided in [subsection] (a) above, but where they are notified by means of a sign or sticker placed upon any door or entranceway leading into the residence or commercial unit at which guests or customers would normally enter the residence or commercial unit, which sign or sticker contains letters of not less than one-fourth inch in height and contains the words "no solicitors" and which is visible to any solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller then the solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller shall forthwith remove himself or herself from the property, without disturbing the persons living therein. A prohibition against any soliciting activity shall be interpreted as a prohibition against any soliciting, handbilling, or canvassing activities, unless otherwise stated therein.

• Handbills shall only be left at the front entrance of a residence or commercial unit, unless the premises does not have a front entrance or it is obvious that the front entrance is not used, in which case the handbill shall be left at such entrance as is most obviously used as a guest or customer entrance. No handbiller shall throw, deposit, place, scatter or distribute any handbill upon any private premises, including private premises open to the public, and including on any automobile or other motor vehicle on such premises unless authorized in writing by the property owner or legal occupant to do so. No handbiller shall distribute, deposit or place any handbill in or on an automobile or other motor vehicle that is parked on any street or in any public place unless authorized in writing by the owner or operator of the vehicle. No handbiller shall affix any handbill to any tree, lamppost, utility pole, or any other surface as specified in the Code of Ordinances section 3-1.

• Even though a solicitor obtains the consent of the manager or owner to solicit in a multi-tenant dwelling, building or development, the solicitor shall not solicit from any tenant therein whose property is posted in the manner provided in [subsection] (b) above. For the purpose of this paragraph, a multi-tenant dwelling or building shall be any building containing two (2) or more units within said building. A multi-tenant development shall be construed as two (2) or more multi-tenant structures owned or managed by the same person(s), firm or corporation.

• No solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller shall remove any yard sign, door or entrance sign or sticker which is placed there by a resident, owner, or tenant as a notice to that such owner or tenant does not invite or allow solicitation, canvassing, or handbilling.

• Any solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller who shall violate any of the provisions of this section and any subsections hereof shall commit a trespass on such property and upon conviction thereof shall be penalized as hereafter provided by the ordinances of the city.

• The above provisions shall not apply to any solicitor, canvasser, or handbiller who shall have received an invitation from the property owner of a residence or tenant of a residence or dwelling unit prior to entering upon any posted property for purposes of soliciting, canvassing or handbilling.

No solicitor door stickers, from the city of Creve Coeur , are available at the Police Department, located at the rear of the Creve Coeur Government Center , at 300 North New Ballas.

If a solicitor comes to your door. Please ask the solicitor for their permit. If they cannot produce one, then ask them to leave and contact the Creve Coeur Police Department at 314-432-8000. When you call please give a description of the person and their direction of travel.

If you have any questions, please contact the Creve Coeur Crime Prevention Office at 314-872-2540.

Halloween Safety Tips

From the STL County Neighborhood Watch Newsletter:

Halloween is fun for people of all ages, but it's important that you and your children remain safe. These simple tips will help make your Halloween celebration better than ever.

Costume Safety

• Wear clothing that is bright, reflective and flame-retardant; wear short clothing that prevents tripping.

• Wear sneakers or comfortable shoes.

• Use face paint (non-toxic, hypoallergenic) and avoid masks - especially if the eye holes obstruct the child's vision.

• See well through facemasks, or use make-up.

• Don't wear floppy hats or wigs that slide over the eyes. Also, children should not wear long, baggy, or loose costumes or oversized shoes.

• Avoid toy weapons - if desired, use costume knives and swords that are flexible, not rigid.

• Stay away from pets. The pet may not recognize the child and become frightened.

Pedestrian Safety
• Children should stay within familiar areas and surroundings. Parents should establish a route for children.

• Children should use flashlights and stay on sidewalks.

• Children should cross the street at corners / crosswalks and not between parked cars.

• Motorists should drive slowly and watch carefully for children.

General Safety
• Many police districts, community groups, business associations and others host Halloween parties. Parents should consider these as a safe alternative to door-to-door "trick-or-treating" for their children.

• Children should never go into homes - stay on the porch or stoop when asking for treats.

• Children should avoid homes that don't have their outside lights turned on.

• Children should never talk to strangers or get into strangers' cars.

• Children should travel in small groups and be accompanied by parents or an authorized adult chaperone.

• Children should know their home phone number and their parents' cell phone numbers, when applicable. They should carry coins for emergency telephone calls or know how to make collect calls.

• Children should have their names and addresses attached to their costumes.

• Children should bring home treats before eating them so parents can inspect them. When children get home, parents should inspect all candy and other treats before they are eaten. Discard all unwrapped or loosely wrapped candy or fruit.

• If you have any questions about suspicious looking treats, call the police department non-emergency number, 314-889-2341.

• Parents and children should carve pumpkins on a stable, flat surface with good lighting. Small children should never carve pumpkins. Instead, they can help by drawing faces with markers, while a parent does the cutting. Older children carving pumpkins should always be supervised.

• Adults should only give and accept wrapped or packaged candy.

• Adults should keep porch lights on and their driveways illuminated.

• Homeowners should ensure that their walkways are cleared of debris on which children may trip and fall.

• If in doubt, throw it out.

Recent Robberies & Disasters

Strong Arm Robbery
On 9/15/2008, at 1130 hours, there was a strong arm robbery at the shopping center near Olive and Ross in unincorporated Saint Louis County. The victim exited her vehicle and was pushed down, as she stepped on the curb, by one of the suspects and her purse was taken. The purse was recovered at the West County Mall where the suspects had used the victim's credit cards.

The suspects were described as 3 black males and one black female, 15 to 18 years of age. The suspect vehicle was a white, early 90's Pontiac Grand Am with a temp tag in the lower left corner of the rear window.

If you see a vehicle matching this description contact the police department immediately at 314-432-8000 or by dialing 911.

Remember, when you are out shopping:
• Be aware of your surroundings
• If you see something or someone that makes you feel uncomfortable avoid it
• If someone tries to take your purse or wallet let them have it
• If someone tries to force you into their vehicle, fight them and call for help and try to get away.

Flooding in Creve Coeur
After recent hurricane events in the Gulf of Mexico and their lingering effects in the St. Louis Metro area, many people have seen how quickly severe weather can affect them. Even in Creve Coeur and the greater West St. Louis County area, many residents found themselves in danger from flash flooding and displaced from their damaged homes.

Those who have suffered losses from the recent storms appreciated the support and care of their neighbors. Regardless of how prepared they were, or the extent of their loss, neighbors looking in on neighbors has been a great help to many people in our community. After storms and other natural disasters, check in on your neighbors, especially those with special needs. If you are concerned about them, call them, check in on them, or call the police department to check on them.

Be prepared when disasters strike. Visit the Ready in 3 website. If you create a plan, prepare a disaster supply kit and listen for information when severe weather is expected, you will be prepared to respond to help not only yourself, but also your neighbors.

If you would like more information on disaster preparedness, contact the Creve Coeur Police Department Crime Prevention office at 314-442-2075.

Recent Burglaries Update

In the past several weeks, Creve Coeur and the surrounding West County area have experienced burglaries in which the suspect enters an unlocked home while the victims are asleep inside. Recently, we obtained a vehicle description of a suspicious vehicle in the area which may be related to other burglaries. The vehicle is described as:

A green 4-dr 1997 Oldsmobile 88 with Missouri license plates.

The vehicle may be occupied by a white male, approximately 21 years old, 5-7", 160 lbs. with brown "bowl-cut style" hair. There may be a second unknown subject in the vehicle.

If you see a vehicle matching this description, or any other suspicious vehicles or people in your subdivision, call the police immediately with a location, description and direction of travel of the vehicle and suspects.

Suspicious activity may be:

• Gut feelings that something "isn’t right"
• Incidents, events, individuals or circumstances that seem unusual or out of place
• Dangerous situations
• Illegal activity

Remember, you play an integral role in protecting our community, please report all suspicious activity immediately to the police department by calling 314-432-8000, or dialing 9-1-1.

St. Louis County “Back to School Enforcement Program”

The week of August 11 is when many area school districts begin classes. The safety of all children within St. Louis County is the focus of the St. Louis County Police Department's Back to School Enforcement Program. "This program is designed to provide extra visibility and enforcement, especially in our neighborhoods and around school buildings," noted Chief of Police Jerry Lee. "Officers from both our Patrol and Special Operations Divisions will be out to ensure that speed limits are strictly enforced, school bus stop arms are obeyed and suspicious activity is identified."

The Enforcement Program consists of the following areas of concern:
additional patrols around and near school buildings;
additional patrols around school bus stops;
strict enforcement of school speed zones; and
strict enforcement of school bus stop arm violations.

"Remember, allow extra time for getting around on the roadways as school begins, especially in the morning and during afternoon rush," Chief Lee added. "Parents may also want to take this opportunity to check our on-line Registered Sex Offender Registry at www.stlouisco.com/police. Parents can search by zip code to know if any offenders live near their child's school, bus stop or home. This information is available to help all parents make informed decisions about their child's activities."

Also, be sure your children carry identification and emergency contact information. Know the routes your children take. Instruct them to travel with others and to stay away from strangers and strange vehicles. For more safety tips, you can obtain a copy of our Back to School Safety Tips pamphlet at your neighborhood precinct station or visit our website.

Burglary Response/Prevention

There have been several burglaries in the city, west of I-270. These burglaries have occurred overnight, while the homeowners were asleep. In all cases the burglars entered from the rear of the home. In three of the incidents, entry into the home was gained through unlocked doors and in the other it was through an unlocked window. Taken from the homes were: TV, video game system, purses, wallet, credit cards, and a cellphone.

In order to avoid becoming a victim please follow the tips below:

• Please make sure you are locking all of your doors and windows at all times
• Do not leave your purse or wallet on the kitchen counter
• If you have an alarm system make sure you set it at night
• Close your garage door when you are not around it
• If you see anyone who appears suspicious in your neighborhood during late hours, call the police

If you call the police be prepared to give the 911 operator the following information:

• Location of incident
• Description of person
• Description of vehicle
• Direction of travel
• Description of suspicious activity

Citizens Police Academy, Fall '08

Central County Precinct’s Citizens Police Academy
Fall 2008

Registration Deadline: Friday, Aug. 22, 2008

The St. Louis County Police Department’s, Central County Precinct will be hosting a “Citizens Police Academy” beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 6:30 pm.

The academy will run for four consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6:30 pm. through 9 p.m. with two “Field Trip” days scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13 and 20. Both these days begin at 10 a.m. The academy will be held at the Vinita Terrace City Hall, located at 8027 Page Ave. (Intersection of Page Ave. and Midland Ave.)

This year’s academy has a different feel, with live demonstrations by our Tactical Operations Team, K-9 handlers and Arson and Explosives Unit. We will also have a static display with our Metro Air Support Unit. At the end of the training, participants will receive a “Certificate of Completion” at the graduation ceremony.

The academy is open to all St. Louis County residents and is free of charge. Advance registration is required and seating is limited. Preference will be given to first-time registrants.

For more information or to register, please call the Central County Precinct at 314-567-9926 and ask to speak with Neighborhood Policing Officers P.O. Jim Molden or P.O. Joe Ellis. You can also visit the Citizen's Academy page, or obtain an application at either the 2nd Precinct station (1333 Ashby Rd.), Vinita Terrace City Hall, Hanley Hills City Hall or Pasadena Hills City Hall.

NNO '08 pix

Thanks to everyone who attended Brookdale's National Night Out '08. We had a lot of food and fun at all three locations, and thankfully things cooled down and the storms held off, despite a wicked looking sky.

Here are a few photos from the night. You can view the slideshow one photo at a time, or click on a picture to see it full size.

Neighborhood Watch Meeting, August 12

On Tuesday Aug. 12 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the Creve Coeur Crime Prevention Office and Creve Coeur Neighborhood Watch Association will host a Neighborhood Watch meeting at the Creve Coeur Government Center Multipurpose Room.

The meeting will feature a Cyber Safety presentation by Detective Ken Nix of the Clayton Police Department. Detective Nix is the Operations Supervisor of the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group.

The second half of the meeting will be presented by Crime Prevention Officers Jon McIntosh and Phil Lane on Neighborhood Watch and how to recognize and report suspicious activity. The training is free and we strongly encourage residents to attend.

If you have any questions about the training or Neighborhood Watch please contact the Crime Prevention office at 314-872-2540.

Crime Alert / Curfew Info.

Overnight from July 30-31, the police department received five reports of thefts from seven vehicles. Of the vehicles, two were broken into and the rest were unlocked. Items taken included cellular phones, ipods, flashlights, loose change, phone chargers and a wallet. These occurrences happened on the Ladue corridor, west of I-270.

Remember to lock the doors of your home and vehicles. If you have items in your vehicle like the ones listed above, please bring them into your home. If you are up late at night and notice any suspicious activity please contact the Creve Coeur Police Department immediately at 314-432-8000 or by dialing 911. Suspicious activities to look out for are:

• Anyone you do not recognize walking your neighborhood overnight
• People peering into vehicles
• Vehicles driving slowly through your subdivisions
• Juveniles out after curfew

In St. Louis County, curfew is 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight-5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Curfew is for anyone under the age of 17.

If you have any questions please contact the Crime Prevention Office at 314-872-2540.

Keeping Pets Safe in the Heat

The following information is from the Human Society of Missouri.

A summer day can be deadly to a pet in a parked car.

When the temperature outside is above 70 degrees, a parked car quickly becomes unbearably hot inside within minutes, even with the windows left slightly open.

• In 10 minutes, the temperature inside your car and reach 102 degrees or hotter.
• People peering into vehicles
• At 110 degrees, your pet may have just minutes to live. Your pet will suffer heatstroke, leading to collapse, brain damage or death.

If your pet is overheated take emergency action. Put your pet into cold water or give a cold water rubdown immediately to lower the body temperature. Take your pet to a veterinarian for a thorough examination.

When the temperature rises, we encourage you to leave your pet at home.

Creve Coeur ordinance prohibits leaving an animal unattended in a parked vehicle, regardless of the temperature.

If you see an animal inside a parked vehicle please contact the Creve Coeur Police Department at 314-432-8000, or police local to the area you are in.

Crime Prevention Alert / C.E.R.T.

Be alert of suspicious people when out walking

On July 4 at 3 p.m. a woman was walking alone on a path at a local park (outside the City of Creve Coeur), when she was assaulted by an unknown white male. The suspect struck the victim on the head with a cane. He then forced the woman off the trail and continued to strike the victim with the cane. The woman fought back, and the suspect and fled the area on foot. The suspect was described as a white male in his 40’s to 50’s. He had medium length brown hair and wore glasses. He was of average height and had a medium to thin build. He was wearing a white t-shirt and long blue pants at the time of the incident.

This is an isolated incident. Many people walk the paths in local parks and their streets everyday without incident. If you are going to walk at any park or in any neighborhood we suggest taking the following precautions:
• Bring a friend to walk with, try not to walk alone.
• If you wear headphones make sure you can still hear noises around you.
• If you feel as if someone is following you, change directions and head to a populated area – call attention to yourself.
• Do not walk alone after dark and avoid walking in isolated areas.
• Carry a whistle, an electronic hand held alarm, or pepper spray with you.
• Have a plan in mind of what to do if you are attacked. Rehearse your plan both mentally, and physically.

Remember there is no guarantee of your safety, but if you take steps to be aware of your surroundings and practice these safety techniques you will make yourself a harder target.


CERT Classes begin August 26

Would you know what to do if a tornado or an earthquake occurred in or near Creve Coeur? Would you be able to shut off public utilities? Would you be able to assist injured or trapped neighbors? As we have seen in recent months, disasters can happen anywhere and anytime.

In the aftermath of a disaster, your public safety resources will likely be overwhelmed, and it may be several minutes, hours or even days before the police or fire department is available to respond to your neighborhood, depending on the scope of the catastrophe.

The Creve Coeur Police Department, the Town and Country Police Department, the Creve Coeur Fire Protection District and the West County EMS and Fire District have joined forces to offer citizens specialized training, known as CERT, to assist the community in the event of a large-scale disaster. To date, over 275 Creve Coeur and Town and Country residents, 60 members of the Maryville University community and 40 members of the Monsanto Corporation have completed the CERT training.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training was designed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is designed to train citizen volunteers to assist their communities after disasters, such as an earthquake. Topics covered during the training will include disaster preparedness, fire suppression, medical operations, light search and rescue, terrorism and WMD's, and disaster psychology. Required training manuals, as well as equipment, will be provided for participants.

CERT training will begin on Tuesday, August 26th from 7-9 PM and continues for 6 weeks on Tuesday evenings. The class is offered free of charge to all residents of either City or Fire District as well as those who are a part of the business community

It is important to have trained citizen volunteers available to assist our community in the aftermath of a disaster. If you would like additional information regarding CERT, please visit the Citizen Corps website at www.citizencorps.gov or the City of Creve Coeur website at www.creve-coeur.org.

To enroll in the upcoming class, please contact Creve Coeur Police Officer Phil Lane or Officer Jon McIntosh at 314-872-2540 or 314-442-2075.

National Night Out '05 Pix

We still have some pix from our 2005 National Night Out posted for you to view: Brookdale's NNO '05

Join Us for National Night Out '08!

This year's National Night Out is Tuesday, August 5. Join us from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at one (or more) of three Brookdale locations: Timberwood, Shadyside and Greenwalk. Hot dogs, buns and condiments will be provided. Bring your own drinks and chairs, plus a dish to share.

Marsha B. is coordinating the event (thx Marsha!) and promises some interesting activities for getting to know your neighbors.

Neighborhood entertainers will display their talents at the various sites.

The St. Louis County Police will drop by the locations and let kids (and the adults, of course) check out the patrol cars. The County Fire Department is also scheduled to stop by.

Representatives from Veolia Environmental Services, our new trash company, and St. Louis County Trash Management will come by each site to answer resident's questions.

2008 is the 25th anniversary of NNO. We hope you can make it to this fun event.

Creve Coeur Police Dept. Crime Prevention Newsletter

Crime Alert

We have received a description of a vehicle wanted in connection with several car break-ins. A nearby city has reported several car break-ins committed over the weekend by 2 black males occupying a newer black and orange Dodge Charger with loud exhaust pipes. If you see a vehicle matching this description, please get the license plate and report it immediately to the Crime Prevention Office at 314-442-2075. If you notice the vehicle in your neighborhood, or any vehicle in your neighborhood that is suspicious in nature, report it immediately to the police department by calling 9-1-1.

Preventing Identity Theft

If you are concerned about Identity Theft and would like to protect yourself, we recommend that you take three very simple steps to help reduce the likelihood that you will become a victim.

First, you should check your credit reports. There are 3 different credit agencies: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. All 3 credit bureaus are required to give you a free annual report once a year. You can request this free report from annualcreditreport.com. This is the only website that provides free credit reports with no strings attached. Similar websites provide a free copy of your report, but require you to purchase a subscription to some type of financial service.

Since you only receive one free report from each agency per year, we recommend getting one of the reports every four months. For instance, order your Equifax report in January, your Experian report in April, and your Transunion report in August. This will allow you to constantly keep an eye on your credit usage.

The second step in protecting your identity and credit is to opt out of pre-approved credit offers received by mail. By opting out of these mailers, you will dramatically reduce the amount of unsolicited mail you receive, and ensure that someone doesn’t intercept your credit offers and activate an account without your knowledge. To opt out of these pre-approved offers for free, visit www.optoutprescreen.com.

The third step is shredding your old documents. Identity thieves will look in trash and dumpsters for your personal information. By shredding junk mail and unsolicited offers you will greatly reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft. It is suggested to use a cross-cut shredder.

By taking these three steps and carefully using your accounts on-line, you can be relatively sure that your identity and credit will be protected.

For more information on identity theft, visit the following websites:
Federal Trade Commission
Missouri Attorney Generals Office
U.S. Postal Inspectors Office


As always, if you see someone that seems suspicious or makes you uncomfortable, please contact the police department immediately by calling 314-432-8000, or by dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency. By calling the police department, you may stop a burglary, stealing, or other crime. Please do your part to stop crime, and always be on the lookout for suspicious activity and individuals.

If you have any questions, please call the Crime Prevention Office at 314-442-2075.

Fireworks Safety

While the Independence Day tradition of setting off fireworks can be fun, it also yields frequent accidents and is, in fact, illegal in St. Louis County.

The following is a link about enforcement of this law and the details from the St. Louis County police dept.: Holiday Enforcement - Fireworks

Have a safe 4th of July!

New trash pick up info.

Residents are beginning to receive calls regarding our new trash pick up dates. If you have questions regarding trash pick up, please call Veolia at 314-863-8874.

We are in St. Louis County's trash district 3.