Taking it to the streets

Foot patrols help police keep in touch

with local residents, business owners
By:Laura Pelner
   When borough resident "Fast Freddy" Fred Calabriese
encountered Manville Patrolman Darren DeGraw walking the beat on Friday, he
used the meeting as a chance to speak with the officer about a concern he
has had lately.
   Mr. Calabriese told Officer DeGraw how dangerous it’s been
for him to cross Main Street recently.
   "The cars don’t stop," he said. "I try to cross and I
almost get run over."
   Officer DeGraw listened to Mr. Calabriese’s concerns and
used the opportunity to tell him about the police’s new initiative to
increase safety and control the borough’s crosswalks, something the force
plans to start within the next few weeks.
   This meeting was a typical one for officers walking the
beat, a job that means walking up and down Main Street daily to greet
business owners and residents.
   Friday morning, Officer DeGraw was walking the beat, and
everyone he encountered seemed to know him and what he was doing. He greeted
people like a friend would, with a wave and a smile and said it’s one of his
favorite parts of the job.
   "It’s a lot of fun," he said.
   The Manville Police call the task "community policing,"
which is an accurate name because it really allows officers to get in touch
with the community in a way that’s impossible from inside a patrol car.
   Officer DeGraw said people always recognize him when he’s
out on the street. "When you’re out there mingling with them, people feel a
lot more comfortable chatting," he said. "From that, a lot of information
comes out."
   He said a large benefit of community policing is the
contacts the force can make with the public. Manville’s police force has
only 25 officers, so making these contacts is crucial.
   It increases people’s trust in the officers and can a make
the public more cooperative if the police need something, he said.
   In the two hours Officer DeGraw walked around Main Street
on Friday he visited a lot of business owners to find out the concerns they
have for the borough and also to catch up on community gossip. When Officer
DeGraw stopped to talk to people he asked about their families, their
businesses and he answered questions about local news.
   "What’s going on with the old Yellow Rose building?" a few
people asked, and Officer DeGraw gave them the information he’s heard —
it might be turned into a catering service or a reception hall.
   "And how about those new motorcycles?" others said,
referring to the new vehicles the force received last week. People wanted to
know when they would see officers riding the bikes and where they planned to
use them.
   Part of the function of community policing is to maintain
a police presence in town so people know officers are out and aware. But
also, it’s an opportunity to "schmooze," said Officer DeGraw.
   "Eighty percent of this is community relations," he said.
"I try to stop every place where I know the guys."
   This included going to the Chester House Bar, Romeo’s
Barber Shop and Janet Onufer’s Optometry Office, among many other places.
Officer DeGraw also stopped to talk to borough crossing guards and he waved
at people he recognized in cars.
   Being on foot patrol is not always a social event,
however. In addition to finding out what concerns area residents have,
Officer DeGraw said that while on foot, officers have caught suspended
drivers and arrested people wanted on warrants from municipal court.
   The foot patrol idea is one Police Chief John Petrovic
highly supports. He said it’s a good opportunity for the officers to meet
and talk with business owners, which is important.
   Officer DeGraw said the chief tries to get all the
officers involved in community policing so borough residents become
comfortable talking with any of them. "His goal is to get all of us out
there so they know all of us," he said.
   And so far it seems to be working well. Janet Onufer
called Officer DeGraw a "friend to all," which really proved true as he
walked down Main Street and chatted with those he passed.
   "In the old days they used to call this screwing off," he
said. "Now, it’s called community policing."