Violent crime is down
in 2nd Police District

By Diane Prokop
Time Staff Writer

Capt. Michael McCarrick, commander of the 2nd Police District, welcomed a handful of community residents to the first monthly community forum.
He told attendees seated around the table that the forum is a venue to address their concerns and to make them more active and involved in what 2nd district police are doing in the community.
"The more active the community, the less crime," McCarrick said.
The captain explained that while officers are overburdened these days, violent crime is down in the district.
According to the captain, gunpoint robberies are down by 56 percent and aggravated assault/guns are down 39 percent.
McCarrick explained the duties of some of the officers that the community has working on its behalf.
As the district’s victim assistance officer, Stephanie Arhndt helps monitor victims of crime and the protected class — seniors and the very young. He told them that community relations officer Mark Mroz, who was also in attendance, handles everything else.
Mroz distributed quality-of-life information packets containing phone numbers and resources to handle police, sanitation, and other community issues.
The CRO stressed that people with biting dogs should realize that in addition to a fine, they could be liable for civil action. While insurance policies typically cover liabilities due to dog bites if the policyholder notifies the company that they have a dog, if they don’t know about the animal, they generally won’t pay out. The same holds for swimming pools, Mroz said.
As for current crime problems in the district, McCarrick said there has been a pattern of gunpoint robberies targeting pizza places and Chinese food delivery men. One victim was from a pizza place down at Second Street and Girard Avenue.
In an effort to get the word out to local eateries, Mroz and the district’s tactical officers went out to the establishments in the district to get contact information.
"We called at least one thousand," Mroz said.
Other issues in the district have been thefts of global positioning satellite (GPS) units from automobiles. There have also been apartment burglaries recently, with people leaving doors propped open when making quick trips in and out of their building. ••
The next Captain’s Forum will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, March 31, in the 2nd district roll call room, Harbison Avenue and Levick Street.
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com