Woodsboro Watch

Fire

2011-10-10T08:58:00.002-04:00

I was taking a walk and came up a fire. This was located at the railroad tracks next to southern states. It appears that there was a substance poured on the gravel then the fire was started. I never saw a person anywhere near the area. I was able to put out the small fire by just kicking stones on top of it. I did not report this to the police, i wanted to note it on the neighborhood watch site to make sure people are aware of it. Also around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, October 9, there were two significantlly loud gun shots in the town. Could not fully get the location however, it sounded as if it came from the area in the center of town.

Sheriff Comes to Woodsboro

2011-09-14T19:18:00.000-04:00

SHERIFF JENKINS TO HOLD COMMUNITY MEETINGS

As he has done in previous years, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins will once again be hosting community meetings throughout Frederick County to talk with citizens about law enforcement issues in the area. Sheriff Jenkins stated, “I want to talk to citizens directly to hear straight from the source about any concerns they have.” The meetings are open to the public and will be held from 7:00p.m. – 8:30p.m. Not all of the community meetings have been scheduled yet so stayed tuned for additional meeting times and locations. Details are listed below.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

· Tuesday, Sept. 27^th, 2011 Sabillasville Elementary School 16201B Sabillasville Road, Sabillasville, MD.

· Tuesday, Oct. 11^th, 2011 Lewistown District Volunteer Fire Co. 11101 Hessong Bridge Road, Thurmont, MD.

· Tuesday, Oct. 18^th, 2011 Johnsville Ruritan Building Just off Clover Drive in Johnsville, MD.

· Tuesday, Oct. 25^th, 2011 Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire Co. 13516 Motters Station Road, Rocky Ridge, MD.

· Tuesday, Nov. 15^th, 2011 Woodsboro Volunteer Fire Co. 2 S. Third St., Woodsboro, MD.

· Tuesday, Dec. 6^th, 2011 Clover Hill Clubhouse 8122 Glendale Drive, Frederick, MD.

· Wednesday, Dec. 14^th, 2011 Wolfsville Volunteer Fire Co. 12464 Wolfsville Road, Myersville, MD.

Cpl. Jennifer Bailey

Agency Spokesperson

Frederick County Sheriff's Office

Main: 301-600-1046

Office: 301-600-2534

Cell: 240-674-7681

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, MD on Facebook

Vandalism on Copper Oaks Drive

2011-09-07T23:05:00.000-04:00

Most likely last night, but perhaps the night before a truck window was smashed . It was parked at the top of the owner's driveway.

From the Sheriff - FBI Child Protection Program

2011-09-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

The FBI’s Child ID App

Putting Safety in Your Hands

You're shopping at the mall with your children when one of them suddenly disappears. A quick search of the nearby area is unsuccessful. What do you do?

Now there's a free new tool from the FBI that can help. Our just launched Child ID app—the first mobile application created by the FBI—provides a convenient place to electronically store photos and vital information about your children so that it’s literally right at hand if you need it. You can show the pictures and provide physical identifiers such as height and weight to security or police officers on the spot. Using a special tab on the app, you can also quickly and easily e-mail the information to authorities with a few clicks.

The app also includes tips on keeping children safe as well as specific guidance on what to do in those first few crucial hours after a child goes missing.

We encourage you to share the word about this app with family and friends, especially during upcoming activities in your communities to raise awareness on crime and drug prevention. For its part, the FBI is working to publicize the app with the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)—its long-time partner in the National Child Identification Program, which provides a physical kit to gather your child’s pictures, fingerprints, personal characteristics, and even DNA to keep with you in case of emergency. The AFCA is producing a public service announcement about the app and will spread the word at various football games during the upcoming season.

Right now, the Child ID app is only available for use on iPhones and can only be downloaded for free from the App Store on iTunes, but we plan to expand this tool to other types of mobile devices in the near future. And we’ll be adding new features—including the ability to upload other photos stored on your smart phone—in the coming weeks and months.

An important note: the FBI (and iTunes for that matter) is not collecting or storing any photos or information that you enter in the app. All data resides solely on your mobile device unless you need to send it to authorities. Please read your mobile provider’s terms of service for information about the security of applications stored on your device.

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/august/child_080511/child_080511

Put your child’s safety in your own hands. Download the FBI’s Child ID app today.

Update

2011-09-01T20:02:00.000-04:00

On 8-31-11 overnight (5) vehicles in (VOU), Addison Woods Rd., Singleton Terr. area were broken into. All vehicles with the exception of 1 was left UNLOCKED. Please refrain from leaving valuables in your vehicle and if valuables must be stored in a vehicle store in the trunk area (non SUV’s). Leaving items in plain view in unlocked vehicles under well lit areas makes it very easy for the criminal. They can see inside your vehicle of the item on the seat and the door is unlocked. So, again PLEASE secure all doors/garages to homes, LOCK vehicles, leave exterior lights to property on from dusk to dawn and report all suspicious activity to the non-emergency # 301-600-2071 crimes in progress and medical emergencies 911. Take care and be safe…

Bicycle Registration

2011-08-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

From the Sheriff's Office:

NEW BICYCLE REGISTRATION PROGRAM

Starting today, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is implementing a new Bicycle Registration Program as part of an initiative to reduce the number of lost, stolen and unclaimed bicycles reported to the Sheriff’s Office and it will help to identify the rightful owners of recovered bicycles.

Registration is simple and it’s free. Go to the Sheriff’s Office website, under Frederick County Bicycle Registration, at http://www.frederickcountymd.gov/index.aspx?nid=4716, and fill out the online registration form. The form includes information like name, address, phone number, bicycle make, serial number, style and color.

Once the form is completed, simply click the submit button and your bicycle information will be electronically submitted to our Community Services personnel who will then enter the information into our database for safekeeping. For more information about the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Bicycle Registration Program, contact the Community Services Unit at 301-600-2167. Help us to protect your bicycle.

More Vandalism

2011-06-24T10:50:00.003-04:00

On the evening of Friday, June 17th, private property at 409 Copper Oaks Pl was vandalized. Lawn furniture and a basketball goal were damaged and strewn about. This property is adjacent to a path leading to the town park. One neighbor saw seven young males walking up from the path around 11pm. Please contact the Sheriff if you have any information on this incident.

Vandalism

2011-06-08T18:01:00.003-04:00

In the last two weeks, two instances of vandalism occurred at the same property on Russett Leaf Terrace (Copper Oaks II area):

A mail box was stolen.

A car was egged. In this instance, one of the several perpetrators was identified and the Sheriff was notified.

Theft on Wood St

2010-09-03T11:17:00.001-04:00

It is reported that 5 to 6 houses on Wood St. had items stolen from garages and sheds on Thursday Sep 2nd.

Please be sure to lock up your property when away.

The Sheriff's office has been taking reports from the victims and has indicated they will spend some more time patrolling Woodsboro.

Please contact the Sheriff's office if you have been a victim or if you have any information that may be helpful. If you are unsure your information is useful, call them anyway please and let them decide.

Trouble in the Park

2010-08-12T09:49:00.002-04:00

There have been two break ins of the park concession stand recently. Police have been notified. Please report any suspicious activity directly to the Sheriff.

Woodsboro Fire Deemed Arson to Cover Burglary

2010-07-23T19:38:00.001-04:00

See the news article:

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=107682

Winter Wrap Up plus a bit of Spring

2010-04-24T19:11:00.003-04:00

A little late.

There are currently no crime trends that we've observed A restaurant break in and some car issues but that's about it.

We recently discussed Woodsboro Watch involvement and concluded paticipation from anyone in the general Woodsboro region is welcome. So any folks outside of the Woodsboro "City Limits" are welcome to participate. Please contact the town office to point you in the right direction iif you are interested.

Some Area Crime

2010-03-06T19:38:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 03/01/2010
TWO ARRESTED ON FELONY THEFT CHARGE
On 02/28/2010 at approximately 6:12 a.m. Dfc. Jose Rivera of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office arrested Patrick S. Gleason, age 20 of Frederick. Gleason was charged with theft over $1000, theft scheme, and rogue and vagabond. A juvenile (male, age 17, resident of Frederick) was referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice on the same charges.
Dfc. Rivera was dispatched to the 5000 block of McLauren Lane for a theft from a motor vehicle call. The caller advised that he was walking his dog when he spotted an unknown person inside his vehicle. The caller approached the unknown person, later identified as Gleason, and detained him until deputies arrived. Gleason was found to be in possession of a backpack containing stolen property to include clothing, a laptop computer, keys and a cellular phone.
Deputies canvassed the area and apprehended a second suspect (the juvenile) on foot near the Robin Meadows area. His vehicle was located near the original call on McLauren Lane. Stolen property was recovered from the vehicle. The juvenile was arrested and transported to the Frederick County Law Enforcement Center. He was later released to the custody of a family member.
Through investigation, deputies have identified other victims and are in the process of connecting the recovered stolen property with its rightful owner

Story of a Recent Non-Crime

2010-02-03T14:48:00.003-05:00

I recently moved into a new home in Woodsboro, well, new to me. One morning I awoke, and heard a noise outside my bedroom window, then a figure moved from underneath it. I of course was a little frightened and wondered who was looking in at me. I waited a few minutes, then got up and looked outside, and sure enough, a set of footprints in the snow came across my yard and straight to my window. I got ready for the day and went outside to investigate. I followed the footprints across the yard to my neighbor's house, thinking that I would confront them, when to my surprise the footprints continued along the front of their house, then across the street to another, and so on, until I lost then in a parking lot.
I returned to my home and followed them in the other direction and again they continued to my neighbor's home. I began to think that someone was out casing the neighborhood for a possible future crime. I decided to get breakfast and find the non-emergency police number, but while on the way I saw a man walking with a similar gate to the snowy footprints. I pulled over and asked him if he had been going from house to house.
He looked at me and responded "yes." It was then that I noticed his Allegheny Power shirt and handheld meter reading device. I felt a little goofy, but I figure it is better to be safe than sorry.

This story has a funny ending, but remember to stay vigilant and look out for one another.

Some Local Crime Figures for January

2010-02-02T16:32:00.004-05:00

From Deputy White:

There were 17 total Residential and 9 Commercial Burglaries across the county for the month of January 2010. These burglaries varied from forced entry to doors and windows left unlocked. I would like to see this # drop to 0! Schedule your Home Security Survey today. Avoid becoming a victim of burglary get a survey it’s free and you will learn simple inexpensive techniques to make your home less attractive to crime and more secure. The survey concentrates on doors, locks, windows, shrubbery and lighting. Please schedule your survey with me today. Coordinators and Block Captains if you have not had a survey of your homes schedule one so that you can better explain to your members what all it entails.

We also need to be more aware of the suspicious activity occurring in your communities there were 36 thefts from vehicles and 23 incidents of vandalism across the county for the month January 2010. If it looks suspicious it usually is report it! Lock all vehicle doors remove all valuable items from cars, iPods’, navigations, laptops etc. Do not just put them out of view in the car, TAKE THEM OUT. Again, a matter of convenience is a sure comprise of security on some level. Any acts of graffiti or destruction of property needs to be reported and removed ASAP. Utilize exterior lighting from dusk to dawn at your homes and report all crimes. Crimes in progress and medical emergencies call 911, all other incidents or crimes report to 301-600-2071. If anyone has any questions please contact you Block Captains and Coordinators or me. Please also help us help you and lock up your homes, garages and cars. Many of the incidents are from the victims leaving doors unlocked. Take care and be safe.

Security Advice From Deputy White

2010-01-29T08:43:00.001-05:00

I have spent a great deal of time patrolling many for the NW communities in the county as of late with my focus on criminal opportunities that you the citizens provide would be criminals. I am still very surprised in the established NW areas that I have worked with for years still providing some of the same opportunities that existed before we began working together. I am pleading with you all to start being more committed to the concept of prevention and helping law enforcement help the communities that we proudly serve stay safe. As always call 911 for all crimes in progress and medical emergencies. Call 301-600-2071, to report all other incidents/concerns.

These are my concerns that I would like to remind you all of and hopefully enact immediate change. Thefts are on the rise from homes and cars; please try to adjust your behaviors if you are currently doing the following:

1). Leaving garage doors open with cars unlocked/open inside of garage or driveway(during nice weather).
- Common items taken from open cars: I-pod’s, Navigation devices, money, laptops, tools.
- Common items taken from garages: Vehicles, tools, bikes, toys, lawn equipment, landscaping décor.
- Open garages can also lead to many more victims of daytime home invasions due to easy undetected access into home from the garage. Home invasions place you face to face with criminals and bodily harm or death of you or family members can result. 2 daytime burglaries occurred this year already!

2). Poorly lit homes at dusk into the dark of night.
- Dim or unlit homes create a opportunity for attack or at home robbery/burglary upon visitor’s or the homeowner returning or leaving the home.
- Cars if left in the driveway or in front of the house on the street should always be locked and be parked in a lit area. The lights when used from the house when used with the correct bulbs can illuminate vehicles in driveways. Other home lighting can possibly illuminate vehicles on the street if street lighting is not available. Lighting is the most inexpensive way to enhance the security of anything! Light it up criminals hate being seen!
- Garages should be locked at all times whether day or night.

A matter of convenience oftentimes WILL cost you on some or many levels of security and safety thus, making it that much easier for the criminals to figure a way to make you a victim. Let’s not help them let’s help each other. I am always scheduling Home Security Surveys please contact me today to schedule one. The information gained from a Home Survey is just another tool at your disposal to arm yourself against crime, please use it. Take care all and be safe.

Dfc. Kevin D. White Sr. 0298
Frederick County Sheriff's Office
110 Airport Drive East
Frederick, Md. 21701
301-600-1046-Patrol
301-600-3985-Office
301-600-1527-Fax

Crime Update From Deputy White

2010-01-29T08:35:00.001-05:00

The following crime trend occurred recently in the Southeastern portion of the county. Crime trends tend to move in areas that afford the criminals the opportunity for them to be successful. Let’s ALL be aware and report all suspicious activity to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-2071 for non-emergencies and 911 for all emergencies and crimes in progress. If anyone has any questions about this or the below alert please contact me, thanks…Kevin

An individual was reported to the Sheriff’s Office by a citizen for attempting to take mail out of their mailbox. Upon being confronted by the homeowner the suspect advised that they were passing out flyers. The individual was not passing out flyers they were stealing mail but posing as a some sort of employee of a company soliciting for business passing out flyers. Beware that the only mail that is to be in your mailboxes should be placed there by an official mail carrier of the U.S. Postal Service and NO ONE ELSE. The very sharp citizen called and reported the suspicious activity after catching them attempting to take their mail. Sheriff’s Deputies were there in minutes of the call confronted the suspect apprehended them and over 80 pieces of mail recovered in their possession. The suspect had been doing this for sometime and did confiscate checks and retail cards that had come through the mail and use them prior to being caught. I learned about this event from a newly revitalized NW area Coordinator who had the citizen who confronted the suspect contact her of the incident. So, I commend the citizen who called the Sheriff’s Office initially to report the suspicious activity in the first place and the Coordinator who in turn knew to notify me so I can pass this info on to all of you. This is exactly how the program is intended and should work! Great Job!

Now, thanks to the observant citizens where this occurred you all benefit and keep from becoming victims of this latest crime trend of mail theft/Fraud which MAY BE heading your way at anytime. Let’s all together be ALERT on the LOOKOUT for this and ANY other suspicious activity, vehicles and persons in your communities in or around mailboxes, or just SHOULD NOT BE THERE. Report ANY such activity to the Sheriff’s Office immediately and perhaps within minutes you too can prevent a crime from being successful against you and many others as this citizen did. Remember, we NEED your assistance if it’s suspicious to YOU it’s suspicious to US! Be safe EVERYONE and take care.

Dfc. Kevin D. White Sr. 0298
Frederick County Sheriff's Office
110 Airport Drive East
Frederick, Md. 21701
301-600-1046-Patrol
301-600-3985-Office
301-600-1527-Fax

Good Turnout at the Neighborhood Watch Meeting

2010-01-26T22:24:00.005-05:00

I'll use Ryan Trout's words to summarize the meeting:

"Good afternoon all,Thank you for your commitment to the town of Woodsboro, your interest in learning about crime, and your desire to make communication in ourcommunity better. I really enjoyed the talks by Burgess Smith, Dfc.Sutton, Dfc. White, and Ken Kellar, and I want to thank each of you for taking the time to educate us on Woodsboro and community watchprograms. I would like to take this to the next step, and want to know who isinterested in helping. At the meeting I heard a lot of great ideas onhow to create a safer and more inclusive community. Some ideas I heard were:-
Community Day/Neighborhood Events-
Free Security Surveys by the FC Sheriff's Department-
Newsletter-
Starting a Community Watch program/Door-to-door recruitment-
More people for the Watch website-
Welcoming parties when new residents move in to town

If I missed anything, or if you have any ideas, please email me and Iwill be sure to forward it to the group. If you are interested in helping with a specific project, please let me know.Thank you again, and I look forward to hearing from you.Ryan P. Trout"

Additionally, one citizen asked if they could get an e-mail notification when a new blog post was issued. This can be done but the number of e-mail addresses is limited to ten. These need to be reserved for Block Captain use so unfortunately we cannot provide that service.

Please comment here too if you have any feedback or additional thoughts.

Meeting at the January Town Workshop Meeting

2009-12-17T12:28:00.003-05:00

On January 25th, 2010 the Woodsboro Watch will be hosting a community forum to talk and learn about crime reduction. We intend to have local officials present as well as a FC Sheriff. We would like to see the interest of the community in holding quarterly meetings to talk about trends, problem locations, and possible actions we can take to deter loitering, crime, etc.

If you are interested in helping with this meeting, have interested neighbors or friends, please comment on this post and I will get in contact with you soon.

"The Watch": we need to meet soon to discuss the upcoming meeting, please contact me as soon as you can to set up a time and place. Thank you.

Robbery at Trout's Towne Restaurant

2009-12-17T12:18:00.002-05:00

This morning at approx. 12:42am Trout's Towne Restaurant was robbed by two individuals. All told they stole about $500.00 worth of food items out of the freezer. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office was notified and have already come to the scene. If you hear anything please let Trout's or the police know. And remember that if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood it is better to be safe than sorry, just call the police.

Next Steps for the Watch

2009-11-19T20:00:00.002-05:00

The Woodsboro Watch will be discussed at the next town workshop to be held Monday, Nov 23.

Support Our Sheriff!

2009-11-13T18:12:00.004-05:00

A rally to support Sheriff Jenkins and his officers is being held at Barley and Hops on November 19th from 3 to 6 pm. The Blane Young show will broadcast live from the location (930 AM WFMD). Check with the station for further details.

Changing The Way We Do Business

2009-10-16T20:49:00.002-04:00

As the town website is currently being updated, a private forum has been brought on line for block captain only viewing and participation. That will allow block captains to carry on open dialogue among themsleves without having to mind their p's and q's. This site (Woodsboro Watch) will be used to report monthly results/summaries of block captain observations/ discussions. So you will likely see less "real time" reporting. If something of immediate interest or concern comes up, a new post will be filed rather than waiting for the monthly summary.

Anyone can still comment on Woodsboro Watch. So if you do not know a block captain to report issues to or you want to communicate with folks directly, please comment on the most recent post. Don't worry if your observation, issue or comment doesn't fit into the most recent post subject matter. If your comment warrants further diologue and doesn't naturally fit into the the existing post we'll likely make a new post to support discussion. And if you like you can keep it anonymous.

If you would like to participate as a block captain please contact the town office or any of the commissioners to get pointed in the right direction.

Site Status

2009-08-27T09:20:00.002-04:00

Well, things don't breeze along sometimes when done by volunteers with active lives. We are still planning to shift this site to two sites. A formal monthly report site with info vetted by the block captains and then a private site for block captains to share open dialogue before deciding what is appropriate for publishing to the rest of the community.

Neoterik Bldg

2009-07-30T08:54:00.001-04:00

There has been juveniles hanging around this building in the evening hours. Especially in the back face Adams Street.

Four-Wheelers

2009-07-29T09:08:00.002-04:00

I spoke with one of the patroling sheriff deputies Saturday night regarding four-wheeler incidents. There have been problems with four-wheelers coming out of Woodsboro using the railroad tracks behind southern states and riding them down the Glade Valley Golf Course where then the four-wheelers proceed in riding through the course and tearing up the grass. The deputies are also aware of four-wheelers riding through town after midnight. The deputies have been more visible in the town these past few weeks.

Adams Street and Elizabeth Street

2009-07-19T21:36:00.001-04:00

There has been reports of a red four wheeler at and around Southern States and the railroad tracks. There has been noticable beer and alcohol bottles around the area. There has been reports for juveniles on the roof of southern states as well. Police have been notified and will continue to be when noticed by residents in the area. The four wheeler is being riden on the streets of Woodsboro as well.

North Second Street

2009-07-19T21:31:00.002-04:00

There was a party at the townhomes on North Second Street Saturday night. It apparantly got out of hand and there has been property damage done. A resident of Second Street had the window of his vehicle blown out by a fire arm. There was also a altercation between two participants of the party and they rammed each others vehicles. Not certain as to whether the police were notified at the time of the vehicle ramming but were notified regarding the shots. The police are making the presence known at this time.

Update

2009-03-23T09:22:00.003-04:00

After about a year trying this web-based neighborhood watch approach we think we have enough experience and feedback to firm up the approach.

The plan is to transition to two sites. First will be a closed blog for town Block Captains. Captians can participate at any time and will be asked on a periodic basis (likely monthly) to report how things are going. The idea of the closed site will be to allow candid discussions of issues and concerns without concern of offending people or misinforming.

Then a site like this will be used to summarize block captain discussions and make a monthly or as-needed post. On that site the public can fully participate.

We'll try to time these changes with the town website upgrades that are underway.

Please contact the town if you are interested in participating.

Copper Oaks

2009-02-14T11:06:00.002-05:00

Nothing to report from the Copper Oaks section of the park.

Pond Action?

2009-01-21T15:06:00.002-05:00

Tuesday morning while walking throught the Woodsboro Park I noticed that someone may have been skating on the fish pond due to some swoosh marks in the snow covered ice. The far end of the pond looked messed up: rough surface with some sticks laying around. Later that day, during another walk through the park there was yellow barrier tape up around the messed up ice.

Soooo. I wonder if there was a mishap on the pond. Please share any info you may have. It would be nice to give the community information regarding the risks of skating on the pond.

There are signs prohibiting skating I believe and a safe shallow skating area in the park. But that smooth pond ice may have just been too tempting!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-12T08:47:00.003-05:00

No problems to post. The Watch could use a couple more Block Captains. Still looking for help from the Copper Oaks areas and someone that lives near or frequently uses the town park. Please contact the town office if you are interested. Contact them by phone. The town e:mail has a spam filter that rejects any unapproved e:mail.

North Second Street

2008-12-12T13:57:00.002-05:00

Several Mailboxes were vandalized Tuesday night. The police were notified and information was given.

Code Enforcement Update

2008-10-22T11:30:00.003-04:00

I checked with the town office and here is the basic status:

A code enforcer was hired in July to spend 2 to 4 hours a week on the job. It has been determined that our codes are not enforceable as they are currently written. Some legal issues I guess. So the town is in the process of rewriting the codes so they will be enforceable. There is no firm schedule to complete the update.

Codes cover a wide range of subjects from activities in public areas to care for private property. The focus/priority when enforcement kicks in will be on public area subjects such as street parking, curfew, etc and not so much focus on private property issues such as lawn care. Codes will still exist for private property but just don't expect the enforcer to take care of it on his own.

Since the codes are being rewritten it looks like an opportunity to get involved with the commissioners and change things. For example, I would like to replace my lawn mower with a couple goats but livestock has been prohibited since 1992.

October Update

2008-10-22T10:41:00.001-04:00

What's the latest in the Woodsboro Area?
Please comment on any trends, activities or concerns.

Point of Rocks Interest

2008-09-30T21:51:00.002-04:00

The neighborhood watch coordinator from Point of Rocks contacted the Woodsboro site administrator after seeing an article about our site in the Frederick News Post (9/23/2008). They hold quarterly face-to-face meetings and are using an e-mailing list of about 70 people. The coordinator thought the Woodsboro blog approach may work better and they are going to give it a try.

Code Enforcement

2008-08-22T15:39:00.001-04:00

We've e:mailed a request to the town office for some information regarding the status of the town code enforcer. We'll post any responses.

Watch Activity

2008-08-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

While this site has not resulted in earth shattering changes in Woodsboro, it has promoted some information sharing and dialogue. That's pretty much what it was designed for. Thanks to ALL who have participated.

We're still looking for regular representation from Copper Oaks I and II. We have had a couple nibbles but no one has taken the bait! Please contact the town office or commissioners if you are interested.

Happy Birthday America!

2008-07-04T17:53:00.002-04:00

Thanks to all those participating in the Woodsboro Watch. We still need a couple more active participants to get solid coverage of all Woodsboro but so far it's going pretty well and feedback has been very positive.

All should feel free to comment on any problem activity in the Woodsboro area or on suggested improvements to this site.

Southern States

2008-06-16T10:20:00.001-04:00

There had been vandalism accuring during the week of June 9 at Southern States. It appears that lights have been broken. Vents have been removed from the roof of the office location. Police were notified.

Theft

2008-06-05T21:26:00.002-04:00

Last Monday night, June 2nd, a GPS unit was stolen from a resident's car on Scarlett Oak Terrace (Copper Oaks II).

Code Enforcement/ Sheriff Patrols

2008-05-17T08:12:00.002-04:00

The town has acquired a Code Enforcer, a retired Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputy, who will be starting July 1st. This blog will try to get a link or somehow post the Town Codes so we will all know the expectations, “ I didn’t know you couldn’t ………..”. I'm sure they are available at the Town Office and may be on the web site but my quick check turned up empty.

The town will also be increasing the ’09 budget (starts July 1st) to support additional hours of active duty Sheriff’s Deputy coverage. Here are some specifics of the program that include this blog:

1. “He will keep a log of all stops and observations he makes. That log will be passed from deputy to deputy so we have consistency.

2. As he is beginning his shift, the deputy will review the past week’s blog updates posted by block captains so he can follow up/be where he needs to be etc.”

NORTH MAIN, SECOND AND ADAMS STREET

2008-04-30T14:52:00.003-04:00

The Juveniles have set up shop at the old Flower Shop now and have also been seen starting a fire ring at the small park area that belongs to Rosewood Condos. Motor bikes have also begun to be a problem on both North Main and North Second Street. Curfews are not being observed during weekdays. Squeeling wheels and excessive speed have also started on North Second Street.

Woodsboro Action

2008-04-21T22:00:00.002-04:00

Not much action that I'm aware of. Low crime activity makes for a boring website but a great town!

We're Linked!

2008-04-12T14:06:00.001-04:00

The Woodsboro Town website now has a link to this site. Hopefully that will help spread the word about this site.

The most pressing near-term action is to get representatives from Copper Oaks I and II to round out geographic coverage for all of Woodsboro. We'll keep you posted.

The latest

2008-04-08T08:22:00.003-04:00

The town website administrator will be contacted this week to link the town website to this site. It sounds like the town website will be undergoing some significant renovation in the near-term.

South Main Street

2008-03-11T10:00:00.008-04:00

All is quiet on South Main Street. Police patrols are doing a good job managing traffic and speeders. Keep up the good work.

Downtown North and Adams Street

2008-03-10T08:01:00.003-04:00

All has been quiet on these streets since there seems to be more police activity in the areas. I have noticed that any activity around the area of the flower shop that is not the norm to the juveniles that hang out there they seem to scatter. My thoughts are they believe these vehicles could be police.

Main Street

2008-03-10T06:54:00.002-04:00

I would like to suggest Woodsboro Blog Watch set up a section called Main Steet, Adams Street and Second Street. This is an excellent service for our community.

Coppermine Activitiy

2008-03-07T20:06:00.002-05:00

A Sheriff's cruiser and backup pulled a car over at the entrance to the Woodsboro Fire Company Activity Complex around 8pm tonight.

Town OKs the Site

2008-02-27T19:06:00.005-05:00

This blog and the concept of an "electronic neighborhood watch" was presented at the Woodsboro Town workshop last monday, Feb 25th. You'll have to check town meeting minutes for the precise language but the commissioners approved three things, roughly paraphrased:

1. To support this site and provide a link from the town website to here.
2. They assigned a technical administrator for the site.
3. They designated the Woodsboro Park Commissioner as the park's block captain.

The need for block captains was discussed: Enough captains are needed to adequately represent the community. However, too many folks initiating posts on this site could get chaotic. It was generally agreed that a good sized group would include block captains for: Downtown North, Downtown South, Copper Oaks I, Copper Oaks II, and the Park. These folks will be supported by the technical administrator to teach them how to operate the site and help when troubles arise.

The block captains are expected to post discussions of their region. They can also communicate for those who don't have a computer or are unable or unwilling to participate directly. They will be granted administrative ability to initiate posts like this one titled, "Town OKs the Site". Any citizen will be able to comment on a post.

Recruitment efforts are underway. Please contact the town office or any of the commisioners if you are interested in volunteeering. Currently we have the technical administrator and the Park captain.

Update!

2008-02-14T11:10:00.001-05:00

This month's town meeting was cancelled. The current plan is to discuss the site at the next town workshop, Feb 25th 7pm (4th Monday of each month).

Ready to Roll!

2008-02-10T11:14:00.001-05:00

"The Watch" has received several e:mail and posted comments. All positive. We'll try to discuss this site at the next town meeting (Feb 12th, 7PM) and propose the following:

1. An electronic "neighborhood watch" can help address criminal activities in the Woodsboro area. Principally as a communication tool to law enforcement and town officials.

2. This Blog has functioned pretty well and is ready for implementation. No technical issues have surfaced.

3. "Block Captains" should manage the site content with one technical manager. Utilizing block captians will help ensure the content and dialogue better represent the scope of citizen concerns. It will also allow people not able or comfortable working with the blog to have their concerns included through their block captain.

4. The town will be requested to include a link to this site on the town web site.

5. Announcement of this site on town newsletters, such as those sent with water bills, will be requested to help maximize town involvement.

Beta Test

2008-01-28T19:25:00.000-05:00

If you have comments on the structure, format and functional aspects of this site, please use this post for your comment. This site was conceived after the January 2008 town meeting. The plan is to share the results of the beta test with the town commissioners about a week before the February town meeting and then discuss the path forward at the meeting. Normally the meeting would be on Feb 12 , the second tuesday but that is primary elections in Maryland.

Block Captains?

2008-01-28T19:09:00.001-05:00

A traditional neighborhood watch breaks a region into "blocks". A block is intended to be small enough that the captain can stay in touch with the residents. When the block captains then meet or communicate they can be pretty sure they are discussing the whole neighborhood. Back in 1994 Woodsboro had 12 blocks: the park, the industrial park, Copper Oaks Dr, Copper Oaks Ct, and the downtown region was broken up by streets and house numbers like "S. Main 200 & 300 blocks".

While the internet now allows everyone to communicate directly to The Watch, only an administrator can issue a new post, in other words, introduce a new subject which can then be commented on. Multiple administrators can be assigned to this blog. An administrator could be viewed as a Block Captain. They could make periodic postings commenting on the general state of things and they could bring up new issues. Just some food for thought as the potential of this site is discussed.

Sex Offender Registry tip

2008-01-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

The Frederick County Sex Offender Registry (see the link on the right) is set up to search by zip code. It didn't work that way for me. I typed in 21798 and it listed the greater Frederick city region, several zip codes and lots of people! To narrow your search, once you have the long list of offenders up, hit Ctrl-F. That will bring up a word search window. Type in your zip code of interest to refine your search.

Sheriff Meeting

2008-01-26T20:16:00.000-05:00

There was a public meeting with the Frederick County Sheriff last Wednesday, Jan 23rd. Here's a brief account: " The meeting went very well last night. There was approximately 30 people here and the first topic was the "little vandals". The Sheriff has agreed to have deputies in town more often and to also use unmarked and plain clothes deputies. There was also mention of possibly getting an officer on bike patrol once in a while. He encourages residents to call the Sheriff's Department with all complaints. He genuinely was concerned about the issue"

Other comments anyone?

Welcome to "The Watch"

2008-01-26T10:31:00.000-05:00

...to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility..........

Woodsboro is generally a beautiful and tranquil place but we have our occasional problems. This site or "blog" has been established to promote communications about those problems and in doing so, help unite our people, our elected officials and law enforcement agencies in maintaining the Woodsboro we love.

This site is intended as an electronic "neighborhood watch". Anyone can post information or comment on postings. It can be done anonymously or "in the open". Anyone can read this, anyone. The site will be edited in an attempt to keep it at a PG or better rating.

Please note that posting information about a problem or crime does not constitute notifying law enforcement. You must, and are strongly encouraged to, do that directly yourself. The benefit of posting here is to share the information with other folks and to provide data regarding possible repeat offenses or other patterns of trouble. Welcome!