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C.O.P. Shops of Muncie, Indiana

C.O.P. Shops

( Community Oriented Policing ) Shops of Muncie, Indiana

Original Published : 11 Nov 1997
Up-dated : 5 Jan 1998, 21 May 1998, 4 Jan 1999, 2 Nov. 1999
This page is published & maintained by : Ervin Davis ~ Crime Watch Coordinator
Morningside & McCormick CRIME WATCH
1420 E. McGalliard Road, Muncie, Indiana 47303
E-MAIL : morningsidecw@aol.com
PHONE : (765) 289-8278


Technical Editor :
Kimberly Davis








NOTICE : If your computer is slow, let page download completely to avoid any link difficulty



INTRODUCTION


    C.O.P. Shops in Muncie, Indiana are civilian owned, and operated by NON-paid civilian volunteers in an effort to help fill the voids of need in their neighborhood vicinity by addressing community problems, predominatly those needs that have NOT been adiquatly addressed by local government.




    HISTORY


    1980

    Residents in several Muncie neighborhoods, like mine, had tolerated crime and victumization as a way of life,... but for various intolerable reasons that's the point in time when some of us in my Morningside neighborhood decided to take a stand to make things change, and things did change !

    1993

    Following thirteen years of hard work later, and requests for Police to establish a Satalite Police Station in Morningside, and even donating a home with 2 car garage for that purpose, but that too being turned down......, then in 1993, a new Muncie Police Chief Carl Ent initiated Community Oriented Policing (C.O.P.) Shops in Muncie with the aid of Federal Grant dollars used to provide support for Police Officers assigned Community Oriented Policing (COP) Shops located in historically higher crime prone neighborhoods.

    Then one Officer was assigned to each of the C.O.P. Shops to work 8 hours each week day. There, help was provided in such areas as resolving neighborhood problems, solving budding crime situations before they became full blown incidents, solving repetition crimes, empowered support for infrastructure objectives, resource coordination for social problems, and a multitude of crime prevention support roles.
    Such neighborhood assistance roles focused attention upon problems that otherwise could escalate into crime victumization, costing tax payers considerable amounts for arrests, court costs, years of criminal incarceration expenses, public services sustaining convict family members, re-hab, parole, etc.

    Although there were problems : one parimount problem was that Community Policing was treated (then and now) like a 'program', when in fact it is a 'philosophy'.
    Also Community Policing was allowed to be perceived by many Police Officers as a civilian threat new way of doing things.
    Such controversy perpetuated and has subsequently impregnated divisionary resentment from some Police Officers unfamiliar with the concepts of Community Policing, who viewed it as an undesireable 'program',..... which has launched years of negative factors that survive to this day.
    With the introduction of the Police working out of the new neighborhood C.O.P. Shops some noteable changes were made in many lifestyles.

    Regardless of any problems or apprehension concerns, Community Policing does work, ..... when it's supported,.... and it gets even better IF that support can be obtained, maintained and retained.
    Crime and fearful perceptions about the threats of crime was lowered and decades of needs were beginning to be addressed.

    1996

    Then, three years later, in January 1996 a new Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle and a new Mayor Dan Canan met with concerned neighborhood representatives from across Muncie, who wanted additional assistance for existing C.O.P. Shop Police Officers, their 3 supervisors and Community Policing in Muncie, ...... but instead, two days later City Hall ordered ALL the Police Officers removed from the "Pro-Active" COP Shops,...leaving neighborhoods with graduating higher crime problems, while abandoning formerly available crime prevention measures....., which led into stages of apathy following the newly implemented "Re-active Policing Policy".
    Due to the after-the-crime-occurs focus of 'Re-active Policing', it has since failed to adiquatly address such areas as crime prevention issues at the neighborhood level.
    Although the new policy of 'Re-active Policing' had a positive result by providing more manpower to support Patrol Officers answering calls, .......many of those same crimes may have been preventable and only occured AFTER the 'cause and effect' of unaddressed problem situations deteriorating into neighborhood crime, then escalating into more searious crime expressions, accomplished without adequate manpower support for crime PREVENTION measures.

    1998

    From January 1996 to present (May 1998) representatives from Crime Watch, and the seven remaining COP Shops have formed themselves into a casual UNOFFICAL Community Policing Council that meets each month at City Hall with a representative from the Muncie Mayor's Office and the Chief's Office discussing on-going problems : such as requesting access to a familiar Police Officer who neighborhood leaders can contact on each shift in their district to help with crime related needs, but now two years later these meetings have NOT been very productive in being permitted to secure even the scant level of neighborhood assistance that was starting to be made available when it was eliminated and disabled by new Policy in January 1996 that removed Police from COP Shops.

    Since the administration policy changes in January 1996 the non-paid neighborhood Volunteers have had tremendious problems trying to get even basic assistance for old and new problem situations,... whos failed heartbreaking efforts have resulted in percieved strong administration signals prompting most in those volunteers to resign from their community assistance roles. The few volunteers in COP Shops remain barely surviving with any capabilities to make additional personal sacrifices to provide help in the widening gap between neighborhood resident needs and their ability to provide help.

    As a result, inside the Muncie COP Shop neighborhoods regression has set in, ..... years of sacrifices and hard labor have been in vain without desired support from local government, so abandonment, apathy & dispair has greatly reduced former requests for assistance from the new 'excuse prone' City government.
    The Old Problems fade into yet others waiting for months and years, forgotten, so people don't bother as much to ask for help now, as even prior concerns with quality of life factors in some instances have slipped gravely into disregard from when more willing assistance was obtainably expected from local government,... rather than only 'at show time'.

    None the less, remaining neighborhood Volunteers across Muncie have sought to demonstrate continued good will with such expressions as community events that still promote the highest public respect images for local government, ........ while volunteers hope, wait and wait for respectful cooperative assistance for the needs of their neighborhoods.

    In the meantime several hundred thousand dollars in Federal and State law enforcement Grants have been received by City Hall for crime prevention assistance, yet their remains a void of adiquate assistance for the neighborhoods , so the problems continue.

    Various avenues of support is in dire need if the scant remaining neighborhood Volunteers and outreach C.O.P. Shops are to be allowed to survive to help their neighborhood residents with any promise of retaining even fragments of former crime prevention capabilities in such high crime prone neighborhoods, ....where the results of higher crime and increased drug sales will have a ripple crime effect outward into the surrounding community.

    So regardless what the solution(s) might be : if it's manned COP Shops, or simple supportive assistance, or mere access to a 'familiar' Police representative on each shift, or help with operational expenses, etc., the solutions are long over due in Muncie !

    1999


    Up-dated : 2 Nov. 1999
    Since the August 1998 honorable introduction of 2nd Shift Captain Charles Hensley, the Community Policing situation has greatly improved over any point since January 1996, ...but certainly still NOT close to what was possable with more neighborhood assigned manpower assistance, as we had prior to January 1996 before all Police were removed from our 10 COP Shops.
    Another marked improvement came in June 1999 with the introduction of 1st Shift Lt. Judy Wright, who has been another dependable resource person for some of the needed materials & equipment sought for many years.
    At this writing (Nov. 1999) only 3 Police Offices are assigned to Community Policing assistance for tens of thousands of residents in some 30 neighborhoods, 10 COP Shops, Crime Watch groups, Neighborhood Associations, Crossing Guards, Crime Stoppers, DARE, and other Police public relations duties. So Community Policing only survives as a tolerated 'program', who's strings can be cut anytime, while certainly NOT any Police Department-wide embraced 'Philosophy'.



    Updated 2 November 1999

    NOTE : A street map showing most COP Shop locations is available by double-clicking the highlighted address under the COP Shop you prefer.

    COP SHOP # ONE _ 741-1353

    McKinley Neighborhood Association

    PRESIDENT : Ed Parton
     904 N. Walnut Street
    Muncie, Indiana 47305
    PHONE : (765) 741-1353

    McKinley Crime Watch Coordinator : Darlene Price
    PHONE : (765) 289-0388
    E-MAIL : dpjag@aol.com
    LINKS : "McKinley KID's DAY 1997" # 1 ,_ # 2 ,_ # 3 ,_ # 4
    LINKS : "McKinley KIDs DAY 1998" #1 ,_ # 2

    NOTE : The McKinley Neighborhood "COP Shop Number One" was the first in Muncie and located in a high crime area near the hub of downtown Muncie, only a couple blocks north of City Hall, just across the street from Muncie Central High School where some of their activities have included :
    • Crime Watch
    • Houseing of Homeless
    • Cellular Phone Watch
    • Project Identification
    • Neighborhood Newsletter
    • Rummage Sale fund raisers
    • Crossing Guards meeting room
    • Learn to read program for adults
    • Holliday food baskets for the needy
    • Several annual Neighborhood Clean-ups
    • Several youth oriented activities and events, such as :
      + Haunted House
      + Halloween Party
      + KID's DAY, annual event
      + Muncie Central High School Prom decorations assembly space is provided for several weeks
      + Santa with the kids party and presents
      ------ ( 78 kids given presents at 1997 party )
      ------ MPD Patrolman Thom Delaney was 'Santa'.
      + All night kids party (FREE) : Adult supervised
      + Basketball events : To include games with Police
      + After school Tutoring for high school aged youth





    COP SHOP # TWO _213-6411

    South Central / Industry C.O.P. Shop

    PRESIDENT : Debbie Springman
    222 E. 7th St.
    Muncie, Indiana 47305
    PHONE : (765) 213-6411

    NOTE : "COP Shop Number Two" was re-established in 1999, then becoming the smallest COP Shop in Muncie, in a former gas station casheer booth, in Muncie's highest crime rate district, where their hours of operation have generally been around 20 hours each day, from around 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 A.M. , and some of their activities have included :
    • Problem solving
    • Holloween Party
    • Food Distribution
    • Houseing of Homeless
    • Neighborhood Clean-up
    • Community Carry-in Dinners
    • Targeting elimination of Prostitutes
    • Targeting elimination of Drug Dealers




    COP SHOP # THREE _747-4731

    Whitley Neighborhood Association

    PRESIDENT : Harold Mason JR
    1621 E. Highland Avenue
    Muncie, Indiana 47303
    PHONE : (765) 747-4731
    E-MAIL : hmason@iquest.net

    NOTE : The Whitley Community Council "COP Shop Number Three" and the adjacent office of "Project C.A.R.E." was established by the Union Missionary Babtist Church at the site of decades of problems for neighborhood residents, where the Church bought and cleaned up an old eye sore vacant building that attracted drug abusers, prostitution, gamblers, then transformed it into a lovely office and meeting place admireably serving their respective eastside Whitley community, where some of their activities have included :
    • Problem solving assistance
    • Annual Neighborhood Clean-ups
    • Senior Citizen assistance via their CARE program
    • Provide home maintenance men to help elderly residents





    COP SHOP # FOUR _284-3556

    Old West End Neighborhood Assn.

    PRESIDENT -- Lynn Thornburg
    616 E. Washington Street
    Muncie, Indiana 47305
    PHONE : (765) 284-3556
    FAX : (765) 284-5766

    NOTE : The Old West End Neighborhood "COP Shop Number Four" is located a few blocks east of City Hall near the Masonic Temple in the former Boy Scouts building, where some of their activities have included :
    • Beautification projects
      + Period lighting
      + Tree & Flower planting
      + Neighborhood Clean-ups
      + "Cardinal Greenway" clean up -(Rails to Trails)
    • Housing Rehabilitation
    • Homeless Shelter support
    • "Washington Street Festival"
    • Rummage Sales and Craft Sale fund raisers
    • Thankgiving and Christmas Baskets for the needy
      ----- (Sixty food baskets one year)
    • Christmas Caroling at homes of elderly and shut-in
    • Several youth oriented activities and events, such as :
      + Baseball
      + Haunted House
      + Halloween Party
      + Self-Defense training grant was applied for
      + "Danger Stranger" & "Good/Bad touch" program




    COP SHOP # FIVE _747-4728

    Thomas Park / Avondale Neighborhood Assn.

    PRESIDENT : Betty Dalton
    2009 S. Hoyt Avenue
    Muncie, Indiana 47302
    PHONE : (765) 747-4728

    Crime Watch Coordinator : Betty Dalton

    NOTE : The Thomas Park / Avondale Neighborhoods "COP Shop Number Five" is located in the south-west portion of Muncie and is the smallest COP Shop in its physical size but it has been a powerhouse of community service :
    • Crime Watch
    • Neighborhood Newsletter
    • Rummage Sale fund raisers
    • Holiday food baskets for the needy
      -----(Sixty delivered for Christmas 1997)
    • Reserve Police Officer meeting room
    • Several annual Neighborhood Clean-ups
    • Several youth oriented activities and events, such as :
      + Baseball
      + Music Fest
      + Haunted House
      + Halloween Party
      + Basketball games
      + Summer Cook-outs
      + After school Tutoring
      + Santa with the kids party and presents
      + Gardening plot to help youth raise activity funds





    COP SHOP # SIX _747-4732

    Blane Southeast Neighborhood Assn.

    PRESIDENT : Tamra Stidaham
    1610 S. Macedonia Avenue
    Muncie, Indiana 47302
    PHONE : (765) 747-4732

    NOTE : The Blane Southeast Neighborhood Association "COP Shop Number Six" is located on Muncie's east-side in the old industry district, where they have recently transformed some trash piled vacant land into a park for neighborhood children, and they have been very active in making many other benifical changes in their community, where some of their activities have included :
    • Rummage Sale fund raisers
    • Annual Neighborhood Clean-ups
    • Learn to read program for adults
    • Holliday food baskets for the needy
    • Several youth oriented activities and events, such as :
      + Baseball
      + After school Tutoring for youth
      + Summer neighborhood work crews
      + Haunted House and Holloween Party
      + Santa with the kids party and presents





    COP SHOP # SEVEN _213-6421

    -----

    Manager : Ella Keihn
    318 W. 8th St.
    Muncie, Indiana 47302
    PHONE : (765) 213-6421

    NOTE : "COP Shop Number Seven" was established in October 1999, where some of their activities have included :
    • Problem solving





    COP SHOP # EIGHT _747-4731

    Old West End

    PRESIDENT : Ed Haggar
    310 S. Council St.
    Muncie, Indiana 47305
    PHONE : (765) 282-8911

    NOTE : "COP Shop Number Eight" was re-established in 1998, where some of their activities have included :
    • Problem solving
    • Code Enforcement
    • Neighborhood Clean-ups
    • Targeting elimination of Prostitutes
    • Targeting elimination of Drug Dealers







    COP SHOP # NINE _741-1655

    Southside Crime Watch Supporters

    PRESIDENT : Flora Davidson
    1008 E. 20th Street
    Muncie, Indiana 47302
    PHONE : (765) 741-1655
    FAX : (765) 741-1655 -( Call first ! )

    Crime Watch Coordinator : Sylvia Morris

    NOTE : "COP Shop Number Nine" is located in the south-east part of Muncie, being the largest COP Shop building, occupying a former vacant truck terminal transformed with volunteer contributions and labor into a lovely COP Shop with seperate office space and a huge banquet room for meetings, where some of their many beneficial activities for the community have included :
    • Food Bank
    • Crime Watch
    • Fund raiser meals
    • Project Identification
    • Neighborhood Newsletter
    • Rummage Sale fund raisers
    • Senior Citizen Line Dancin
    • Senior Citizens Euchre Club
    • Annual Neighborhood Clean-up
    • Arcade machines and Pool tables
    • Holiday food baskets for the needy
      (40 delivered at Christmas 1997)
    • New Years Eve Party for Senior Citizens
    • Several youth oriented activities and events, such as :
      + Basketball
      + Kids Carnival
      + Baseball games
      + Halloween Party
      + COP Shop Nine KID's DAY annual events
      + Santa party with reindeer, sleigh and presents
      (120 gifts at $5. each for 1997 party)





    COP SHOP # TEN _747-4890

    Morningside & McCormick Neighborhood Assn.

    PRESIDENT : Gwennith Winningham
    1420 East McGalliard Road
    Muncie, Indiana 47303
    PHONE : (765) 747-4890
    E-MAIL : copshopten@juno.com


    Morningside & McCormick CRIME WATCH

    Coordinator : Ervin Davis
    MAIL : 3625 N. Miami Avenue, Muncie, Indiana 47303
    PHONE : (765) 289-8278
    FAX : (765) 289-8278 -Call First !
    E-MAIL # 1 : morningsidecw@aol.com
    LINKS :

      NOTE : The Morningside and McCormick Neighborhoods "COP Shop Number Ten" is located in one of the historically highest crime rate areas in Delaware County, untill our CRIME WATCH began, then drastically reduced crime rates following several unique angles of attack strategy.
      But without adequate crime prevention support for Muncie neighborhoods from City Hall, crime rates have increased again during the past few years.
      "COP Shop Number Ten" is located on the extreme north-east quadrant of Muncie, being the last of ten COP Shops in Muncie, where some of the Neighborhood Association (N/H) and seperate Crime Watch (C/W) activities have included :
      • Rummage Sale fund raisers
      • Holiday food donations to the needy
      • Neighborhood Association Newsletter
      • Neighborhood Clean-ups
      • Live Nativity Scene during Christmas season--(N/H)
      • Morningside & McCormick CRIME WATCH: est.1980
        + Block Captains
        + Project Identification
        + Cellular Phone Watch
        + Crime Watch Newsletter
        + Emergency food donations
        + Natural disaster preparedness
        + National Night Out promotion
        + Neighborhood Mapping project
        + Crime / Gang awareness publications
        + Senior Citizen assistance coordination
        + Resource support for other COP Shops
        + Homepage donation for rural Gaston Police Department
        + Walk / drive crime awareness / reporting
        + Morningside community History
        + Targeting elimination of Prostitutes
        + Targeting elimination of Drug Dealers
        + Targeting elimination of Pornographic Adult Book Stores
      • Youth oriented activities and events have included :
        + Baseball--(C/W)
        + Football--(C/W)
        + Youth group--(N/H)
        + Haunted House--(N/H)
        + Summer Bowling--(C/W)
        + Summer temporary job placement for youth--(C/W)
        + KIDs DAY -- Annual event
        + Summer Youth Journalism Workshop -- Co-sponsor (C/W)




    crimewatch@juno.com
    Ervin Davis ~ Coordinator
    Morningside & McCormick CRIME WATCH
    1420 East McGalliard Road
    Muncie, Indiana 47303



    Check out these other Muncie sites

    Visit Muncie Central High School
    KIDs DAY supporters & participants
    KIDs DAY with Emergency Response Professionals : History & Photos
    Directory of Muncie, Indiana : Largest on the Internet !
    Concerned Citizens League of Delaware County, Inc.
    Morningside CRIME WATCH
    Morningside Residental Neighborhood
    R.E.A.C.T. : Munceetown Team
    Blizzard of 1978 : Community Volunteers
    Crime Watch : HOW To Manual

    Email: morningsidecw@aol.com