Who's Your Beat Officer?

Woodstock PD established "beats" for officers a couple of years ago, so that officers would become more familiar with their territories and the residents and the incidents occurring within their beats. The City is divided into four sections: Beats 21, 22, 23 and 24.

Residents are encouraged to communicate with their beat officers. How do you know who they are?

One way is to read The Woodstock Independent (TWI) for the articles describing the monthly Coffees with the Chief. Officers of a certain beat attend a monthly Coffee and tell the residents what's going on and what they can do to assist the PD with information and get problems solved. Save those TWIs!

Another way to find out who the beat officers are is to read Woodstock's City Scene, a quarterly publication.

Another way is to pick up a map at a Coffee with the Chief. At least, they used to be available at the Coffees.

As most know, things change. Information in print is often soon obsolete. Beeat assignments might change after a Coffee with the Chief. Although officers expect to stay in their assignments for a year, a promotion could occur or an officer might leave the department.

Two years ago I recommended to the police department that it publish beat maps and beat assignments on its section of the City's website: www.woodstockil.gov

That seemed like a logical suggestion to me. Has it happened? Check out the City's website. See if you can find it. I don't know if it's because I made the suggestion, or if it's just a rotten suggestion and everyone was too polite to tell me.

It would be simple to create a .pdf map on the Police Department's section of the City's website and label it "Beat Maps & Officers". Labels and links should be easy to find on websites. Then the officers' names and email addresses could be shown. Residents could click right on the name and send an email to their beat officer(s).

I also suggested that "Beat" email addresses be created, so that a resident could send one email and direct it to all officers serving that beat. That beat email address could be Beat21@woodstockil.gov Email sent that email address could be directed by the City's email sysem to the three officers, to their sergeants and to any officers filling in during vacations, days off, etc. Other supervisors could also receive such emails, in order to stay abreast of resident concerns and suggestions.

Is this too simple?

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT