Cordova Country Club (Club House)

3/9/04

In attendance from law enforcement was:

Mark Luttrell, Sheriff of Shelby County

Steve Shuler, Public Affairs Officer, Shelby County

Larry Young, Memphis Police Department

Lt. Lee Newkirk, Commander Crime Prevention

Mike Hoffman, Memphis Police Dept. Neighborhood Watch Coordinator

Major Danny Cooper, Sheriff’s Dept.

Ray Schwill, Memphis Police, N.E. Precinct

Major Glenn Williams, Memphis Police, NE Precinct

Jerry Webb, Memphis Police, NE Precinct

Jay Couture, Chairman of the Cordova Club Neighborhood Watch Committee, opened the meeting and introduced the officers and representatives from the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. He then introduced Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

The Sheriff made it very clear to those present that Crime Prevention is a community issue. We, the citizens, must be involved to solve the problems facing us. The police can not do it alone. Since we all pay taxes, we have a right to expect both departments to work together, to present a seamless law enforcement front. However, our help is an essential ingredient. He pointed out that both the City and County departments are working very close together. They share all information and alternate working in this area.

Ray Schwill, from the Memphis Police department talked to us for a short while. His main emphasis was that team efforts, consisting of teams from law enforcement working together with teams of citizens are VERY successful in preventing crime. He pointed out that 27% of the homeless people in Shelby County are dope addicts or mentally unstable and another 66% of them are migratory. The county is trying to rehabilitate or treat the first category and they will jail the migratory persons, in hopes they will get the message and leave Shelby County.

Danny Cooper, from the NE prescient reported that both departments respond to Emergency Calls (911). It makes no difference whether the call is from the area still in the county or if it is from Memphis. He further reported that there are uniformed and plain-clothes officers working the area. Crimes are plotted by both agencies and they share information regularly. Shifts are overlapping so next shift officers are already at work before the previous officers leave their posts.

Questions from the floor regarding speeding on both Cordova Road and Cordova Club Drive were brought up. Officers stayed after the meeting to get the details of this problem from the residents. The police will talk to the City Engineer about the speed limit on both streets and report back to us.

Steve Shuler was designated as the Point Man for us to call with NON EMBERGENCY problems, such as suspicious people in our area, loud music, public nuisance matters, etc. His phone number is 545-5532. The website for the Memphis Police Department is

Memphispolice.org

Larry Young of the Sheriff’s Department reported that the major crime in our area is larceny. All incidents MUST BE REPORTED for the police to do their work. Most reports center around garage doors being left open, unlocked vehicles in driveways and on the streets, valuables left in plain sight. Residents are encouraged to get the serial numbers from any and all items left in garages, for identification. This information is of great help in identifying items left at Pawn Shops. Any person, who pawns ANYTHING, is fingerprinted and items reported, by serial number, can be traced to criminals.

Since our area is split between City and County and since the majority of the homes are in the County, it is the County that will be in charge of training and follow up for our group. The County has 26 subject matter programs that can be presented to Watch Volunteers over time.

Non Emergency phone numbers are

City of Memphis Residents 545-2677

County Residents 379-7627

Mike Hoffman, Coordinator of Neighborhood Watch Activities for Memphis Police strongly indicated WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR OWN DESTINIES and the faster we respond, the faster the problems will be solved.

Watch Committee Members were encouraged to attend the Police Academy sessions offered by both the City and County on a regular basis. The next session will start on September 1, 2004.

There were approximately 70 residents in attendance. It was a very informative and productive meeting.