It is with enthusiasm that I am able to address the residents formally for the first time as Director of Security for PGA National. I am looking forward to working with the team that makes PGA National a great place to work and live. Tom Hartog, will continue to be a part of PGA as an Area Supervisor, a promotion that is well deserved. I am looking forward to his continuing guidance as I become entrenched in my new position.
As summer approaches quickly, we are faced with the “schools out” concerns. This will present a whole new set of security challenges, from keeping our children safe to making sure their free time does not lead to poor judgment. Our officers are aware of the challenges summer brings and will stay on top of this. Good community relations involve not only the adults, but our teens and younger children as well.
One of our biggest concerns is crime in our neighborhoods. In looking over past to current crime statistics for PGA, it seems we are in line with other communities. In fact, in many categories, crime in PGA has decreased or remained the same. The two most common crime types concerning our residents are auto theft and burglary. Fortunately, residential burglary is not a great concern at this time. We have experienced a number of auto burglaries that we are addressing with two different approaches.
First, we have spent three weeks analyzing just how serious the opportunity for theft actually is. This has been accomplished by actually observing valuables that were left in vehicles in plain sight. The target areas were selected on past incidences of this particular type of crime. The first run through showed 22% of all vehicles checked contained visible valuables. The second showed 16%. Both numbers are much too high, which means “crimes of opportunity” will occur.
Secondly, we have slightly altered how we patrol the community. Omnipresence is technical jargon for making criminals aware they cannot commit crimes and get away with it. We are striving towards this and I will keep you informed of our progress.
In closing, I would like to thank all of those that gave me an opportunity to become part of the PGA family. My door is always open and I am only a phone call away. Your concern will become my concern and I promise to try to resolve the issues brought before me.