Ramsey Resident - 1973 - February

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., PROJECT HUE AND CRY In Merrie Olde Englande, before there was an organized law en- forcement agency, a citizen who observed a crime being committed or saw another citizen in danger, would sound the alarm for help by sounding the "hue and cry." Those persons hearing this cry were o- bliged, as citizens, to respond and render aid to the distressed party or assist in capturing the criminal. Today we have organized law enforcement agencies with officers that are trained to protect and aid. The citizens no longer need respond to the hue and cry. BUT, you are needed today to sound the alarm in order that our law officers can even more efficiently protect and serve in Ramsey Township. Police officers cannot be everywhere at once and must, therefore, rely on calls from citizens to be apprised of suspicious act'i vi ties or hazardous situations. Your eyes are needed to observe suspicious vehicles and persons in your neighborhood. You can report a stranger talking to children on the streets and your call for emer- gency aid could mean the difference between life and death. AWARENESS is the key word in any community effort aimed at pre- serving life and property. To be aware does not mean that one must become the neighborhood "busybody" nor does it mean that a homeowner should conduct "spy" operations on a neighbor. Being aware means knowing that the people across the street work days and that car in their yard is out of the ordinary. It means being a little suspicious about a car that frequently appears on the street at the same ~ime the school children are coming home and just seems to be cruising around. Awareness means notifying the police about a missing stop sign or construction barricade and not just assuming that someone else has already done so. And it means knowing \'lhere and how to call for emer- gency aid in case of sickness or injury. Remember, no call is too trivial for a police department to re- spond to or investigate if a citizen considered it important enough to call about in the first place. Your police would rather receive repetitious calls on a personal injury accident than to receive no call until it is too late to help. Your law enforcement officers are here to protect and to serve you, the citizen. Don't forget that you are the community and the community is your concern and responsibility. Please help us help you. The enclosed sheet giv$some do's and don'ts for reporting criminal activities or emergencies and also some tips on home secur- ity that may save you the expense and, sometimes, hurt of burglary and larceny. You may wish to put this sheet next to your telephone for quick, handy reference. Thank you. YOUR TOWN BOARD