Neighborhood Watch: Serious Crime Down in Farmington

Commander Frank Demers had some good news for residents who attended Thursday night's Neighborhood Watch meeting at city hall.

In a "sneak peek" of crime statistics that will be unveiled at a later meeting, Demers said serious crime in Farmington was down 4 percent in 2011. While narcotics arrests showed a significant increase, he attributed that to "enforcement efforts".

"These officers are stopping a lot of cars ... They're being aggressive," he said. Often, the arrests come after a traffic stop. "Many times, (they) walk up to a car and they're hit in the face with a cloud of marijuana smoke." 

Demers showed maps pinpointing seven home invasion and four business burglaries that have occurred since May of 2011, including a January incident on Nine Mile Rd. in Floral Park subdivision. That crime, he said, was not part of that have occurred in neighboring areas of Farmington Hills.

Demers said business burglaries have occurred in  and the Grand River/Nine Mile Rd. area. Copper thieves also hit a residence in Farmington last year. "They target homes that are for sale and aren't occupied," Demers said.

Crime prevention tips

During the meeting, Demers also provided crime prevention tips on "phishing" and identity theft ("Get a copy of your credit report, and check to make sure no one has opened an unauthorized account in your name.") and calling police to report door-to-door sales people. Demers said anyone selling goods and services must have a permit, which ensures they've undergone a background check. 

Recently, he said, officers responded to a solicitor complaint in Bel Aire subdivision and got quite a surprise. "The person who was handing out those fliers had a whole slew of warrants for his arrest," Demers said. 

One resident asked what drivers should do if they see someone who appears to be driving while intoxicated. Demers said a description of the car, license plate number and direction of travel will help police follow up. Drivers are not advised to follow or try to stop the vehicle, he added.

The next Neighborhood Watch meeting is scheduled March 8, 7 p.m., at Farmington city hall. The group meets on the second Thursday of each month.