Already in 2002 the Tenney-Lapham
Neighborhood faces some challenges that may be attributed to the increased
density in the area. The usually calm winter was marked with various break-ins
and robberies, including some on Sherman Avenue in late January. While not all
of these were covered in some of the police summaries that circulated, there
are reports of prowlers and several attempts to enter houses while residents
were inside. If nothing else, neighbors should lock their doors, even screen
doors to deter this.
In fact, neighbors may want to be careful with their porches
and yards. Neighbors found this winter that things left on porches, from
children's toys to brooms and shovels were not just taken, but destroyed. People
using power tools in the street to extricate locked bikes from signs and posts
even broke into yards to connect power cords to private homes rather than ask
for permission to enter and use the power. It is unfortunate that these
residents have such poor respect for private property. And, unfortunately, the
city is so busy with other problems on State Street and Downtown, that it
precludes a police presence in this and other, peripheral neighborhoods.
Worse, last December there was a sexual
assault east of the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood, near Blount and East Johnson
Streets. Rumors floated about this event, and the single incident multiplied
into several assaults, and in some reports the site of the assault was moved.
The police have dealt with this incident and have indeed increased their attention
to the specific area in which the crime occurred. (Technically, this incident
occurred in the Old Market Place Neighborhood.).
Various efforts to make this neighborhood
and others in Madison are in motion. The Safe Community Coalition (SCC) inaugurated
its 2002 efforts with a general meeting in January, and the common refrain
among those attending was for some concerted effort to coordinate safety
efforts so that they are not unique to one part of the city and ignore others.
For example, such planning would prevent speeding into adjacent, non-target
neighborhoods, as happens now when enforcement occurs on Sherman Avenue, but
not on East Gorham. This year the SCC will focus on four specific areas
in its 2002 program: 1)speeding; 2) running red lights and stop signs; 3)
pedestrian safety; and 4) bicycle safety. Cheryl Wittke, a member of the
Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood, heads the Safe Community Coalition. Sal
Calomino and Jim Zychowicz will serve as contacts to bring SCC information to
the Neighborhood..
The SCC initiatives efforts are the result
of excellent, grassroots efforts, but it cannot deal with all the issues the
city faces. Other, more serious problems, like break-ins and attacks properly
belong to the city. The Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood will have the opportunity to
air its concerns to the Central District Police at the March Meeting (March 21)
and with Mayor Susan Bauman at the April Meeting (April 18). Please use these
meetings to voice your concerns to our public officials so that they clearly
understand the needs in the Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood and our commitment to
having a safe neighborhood in which to live.
-Sal Calomino,Jim
Zychowicz