Welcome R.R.H.A. from the Bryan Police Department

1. Welcome R.R.H.A. from the Bryan Police Department • I am Officer Will Holt • Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET) • Master of Arts – Criminology ‘03 (SHSU) • Bachelor of Arts – Criminal Justice ‘01 (SHSU) • 7 years with Bryan Police Department • Helped create NET unit in January 2008 • Oversee southwest quadrant of Bryan, TX

2. Objectives • Problem Solving for Repetitive Crimes • Pre-Screening & Lease Violations • Use Law Enforcement at Eviction Hearings • Drug Identification • Smell, Visual, Components, Paraphernalia, Precursors • Identifying Drug Transactions • Drug Use vs. Drug Dealing • Human Behaviors & Actions • *Sociology – study of groups, not individuals*

3. What is N.E.T.? • Specialized unit of 4 officers & 1 sergeant • Problem-Oriented Policing • Community-Oriented Policing • Focus on repetitive criminal issues • Focus on quality of life concerns of citizens • Crime Prevention using Crime Triangle • www.bryantx.gov/NET

4. Crime Triangle ? • 10% of Offenders = 55% of crimes • 10% of Victims = 42% of victimization • 10% of Locations = 60% of calls • Source: U.S. Department of Justice Offender Victim Location

5. Problem Solving • Eliminate the Problem • Evict/Displace - Be your own “fix” • Arrest/Imprison • Positive Peer-Pressure Into Compliance • Refer Problem to Proper Authority • Civil Lease Violations: Managers & Owners • Another Law Enforcement/Regulatory Agency • HUD / Housing Authority / Health & Human Services

6. Criminal Trespass Affidavit • Ask your law enforcement (L.E.) agency to let you sign an affidavit. • Gives permission for L.E. to officially warn, in writing, criminals and the like. • *Powerful tool!!!

7. Pre-Screening Potential Tenants • “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin • Saves $$$ when turning units/interior damage • Saves headaches for managers • Complete the following background checks: • Criminal/Warrant • Credit • Rental

8. Criminal Background Check • Criminals are not a protected class!!!! • What is protected? gender, race, religion, age, handicap, color, national origin, etc. • You can deny someone based off their arrest or criminal history. • In TX, set your standards and go by them. • Felonies vs. Misdemeanors • Traffic ticket arrest warrants-$$ responsibility

9. Credit History Check • If someone can’t pay past bills, why would you GAMBLE on them paying you!?!?!?!? • Rental properties are no place for charity. • You are operating a business. • Criminals and Bad Neighbors Negatively Effect More than just your rental property. • Two-thirds (2/3) of past and current debt should be paid off or up to date. • No credit is also grounds for denial.

10. Rental Reference Check • VERIFY! VERIFY! VERIFY! • You will be lied to! You have been lied to! • “No rental history” or a lack of rental history is also grounds for denial. • Co-signer or Guarantor Alternative • People move for a reason. It’s generally good or bad. Detect which one! • The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

11. Online Web Group • In Bryan, we have a Yahoo Group made up of rental property owners and landlords. • They communicate via one email address that currently goes to 140 people. • Your law enforcement agency should participate. • Share information about common problems & common solutions. • Share information about evictions/skips/etc.

12. Your Lease is the KEY • Don’t reinvent the wheel. • Use a standard lease from the Texas Apartment Association (TAA) or the like. • No hand-written leases. • No leases from the do-it-yourself store! • Be professional, and you will achieve professional results. • “… a man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6 Verse 7 NIV

13. Rental Lease Continued… • A strong lease tailored to the advantage of the landlord/owner is a must. • This leads to easy notices to vacate. • Eviction Court – A standard, professional lease wins every time. • If lease violations resulted from a police response, then take law enforcement with you to the eviction hearing….details!!!!

14. Drug Identification • Methamphetamine – aka Meth, Speed, Crystal Meth, Ice, etc. • Most addictive drug • Widespread in RURAL areas • Meth labs can be highly explosive. • Meth labs can be contained in a car or even a large suitcase. • Nothing but chemicals and pills

15. Methamphetamine • Got Ammonia??? (Anhydrous) • Dealers and Makers of Meth store this in propane tanks, causing the valve to turn green and weaken. • Weakened valves can cause fire ball explosions.

16. Shake ‘N Bake Meth Recipe • Also known as “One Pot” for literal reasons • Requires Pseudoephedrine Pills, but not as many as older, traditional Meth recipes. • Only need about ½ ounce of pills

17. Shake ‘N Bake Meth Recipe • Lithium strips from inside batteries

18. Shake ‘N Bake Meth Recipe • Solvent - Coleman fuel, HEET, camping fuel, ether, acetone

19. Shake ‘N Bake Meth Recipe • Ammonium Nitrate / Fertilizer / Cold Packs

20. SAFETY Around Meth • Don’t pick up plastic bottles and examine. This can reinitiate the chemical reaction of the left over ingredients, causing an explosion or inhalation of toxic gases. • A lot of the bottles, once used to mix the chemicals are just being thrown out in bar ditches or vacant lots. • Used coffee filter paper with colored residue in them. Don’t smell the filters for coffee smell . • For each pound of Meth made, 5 to 6 pounds of excess toxic chemicals are produced. Where are they? 

21. Meth remnants / paraphernalia Meth Can Be Injected by Syringes

22. Meth Pipe for Inhalation along with Methamphetamine

23. Meth Does A Body Good

24. Cocaine Packaged For Sale – Notice the Digital Scales Large quantities of powder cocaine will emit a chemical smell without holding it to your nose!

26. Powder Cocaine – User Amount

27. Marijuana Buds – Smell of burned marijuana vs. unburned ?

28. Marijuana Plants

29. Crack-Cocaineunburned crack smells like soy beans

30. Crack-Pipes

31. Drug Addict Behaviors • What is normal for you and me? • Begging for money • Paranoia • Physical body changes: • Weight loss – Sunken Faces – Burned Fingers & Lips – Generally Unkempt – Layered Clothes • Always have an emergency – SCAM • Lots of loitering & soliciting

32. Drug Dealing Red Flags From A Residence • Lots of come and go traffic – few minutes • People walking in and out • Cars coming and going afternoons & nights • Look at visitors: What do they have in common? Addicts vs. Lower-Level Dealers • Tenants will try to lay low & be very private • Tin-Foil on windows • Tenants will be paranoid & intimidating

33. Physical Human Clues • Hand-To-Hand trade offs (money for dope) • Dope for stolen property – electronic items, etc. • You may not see actual drugs, but you will see actual transactions. • Lots of people getting items out of trunks or unknown items wrapped up, bagged up, stored in plastic cups, styrofoam cups, etc. • Do your tenants work? What keeps them busy? How do they make $$$ ?

34. Signs of Tenant Dealing From Car • Tenant or Guests will constantly be leaving residence and arriving back to home within a few minutes. • May see them do same habits every time • May store drugs outside apt or in vehicle • Changed Door Locks / Tin-Foil on Windows • Tenants will be paranoid / will intimidate • Stare down other tenants/prospective tenants

35. Drug Dealing/Using & Crime • Disturbances, Assaults, Disorderly Conduct will increase on & around property • Thefts & Burglary will increase • Tenant complaints to you will increase • Vandalism will increase • Curb appeal will decrease • Litter/Trash will increase Broken Windows Theory of Crime

36. “Broken Windows” & Crime Prevention • If you care, others will care. • Small quality of life issues lead to large criminal issues. • Broken windows  Squatters Vandalism of Vacant Units  Marijuana Smoking  Prostitution Shack  Crack House  Gang Turf / Violent Crime YOU MUST TAKE OWNERSHIP

37. Contact Information • Officer Will Holt • Bryan Police Department • Neighborhood Enforcement Team • (979) 209-5548 – Direct Extension • holtw@bryantx.gov • www.bryantx.gov/NET • (979) 595-8253 – Cell