Police Say Mililani Crime Picking Up In Weak Economy
HONOLULU — The Honolulu Police Department and the Mililani community met Monday to discuss ways to prevent their neighborhoods from becoming targets.
Police said there were 226 burglaries in Mililani between Nov. 1, 2007 and Nov. 1, 2008.
“I’ve had a couple residents who had burglaries more than once. That’s a big concern,” said Noelani Vierra, neighborhood watch coordinator of the Mililani Town Association.
Vierra said drugs and a poor economy are contributing to property crimes.
“Right now a lot of people are having hard times and trying to keep their home and keeping it safe are one of the major concerns,” Vierra said.
Vierra and other neighborhood watchers came together for their annual meeting with district officers and the chief of police to discuss burglaries and other crime.
The Honolulu Police Department told them violent crime so far this year has dropped 21 percent over last year from 160 violent crimes in 2007 to 127 so far in 2008.
HPD said property crime has dropped 9 percent so far this year compared to last year.
In 2007, 2374 property crimes were committed compared to 2167 so far this year.
“So we’re real happy. We are a safe city,” Honolulu Police Chief Boisse Correa said.
Correa credits the decrease in property crimes to programs like the Neighborhood Watch.
“Where communities, people come out, they walk the streets, they work with us and they’re very supportive of protecting the island and servicing the community,” Correa said.
“We empower the community. The whole idea is eyes and ears for the community and the police department,” said Corporal Andrew Bonifacio, a community policing officer.
And it’s an opportunity for neighbors to educate themselves on how to protect their families and property.
HPD has created pamphlets on home security, burglary and theft prevention. It addresses everything from security alarms to louvered windows, dogs, plants, shrubbery and fencing.
Go to your neighborhood police station for the pamphlet.