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We are the First Line of Defense
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Story and Photo by David E. Booker As we move into a new year, we at Old North News would like to remind you of a few things that will help to make Old North Knoxville a better place to live. The first item: the Knoxville Police Department is still ticketing cars that are parked the wrong way on the street or parked up on the curbs and sidewalks. To replace the curbs and sidewalks costs $5 a square foot or between $8,000 and $10,000 to replace the sidewalk and curb in front of a home in Old North Knoxville. Not parking on the curbs and sidewalks helps keep our neighborhood looking at its best, saves us all tax money, and saves you from the hassle of a ticket. Parking the correct way, with the passenger side of your car or truck against the curb, makes it safer for those driving down our streets and sends a signal to potential criminals that this neighborhood is patrolled by the police. If you see a car parked on a curb or parked the wrong way, call 215-4010 and report it. Speaking of thieves, please keep your car locked at all times and any valuables either in the trunk or in your house. The first key to a safer neighborhood is to avoid temptation. If we don't have anything out there to tempt a potential criminal, he or she is more likely to move on to an easier target somewhere else. The second item: if you see an abandoned vehicle parked along the side of the road, call 215-4010 and report it. Or e-mail Capt. Jack Jinks at jjinks@ci.knoxville.tn.us or Lt. Greg Hoskins at ghoskins@ci.knoxville.tn.us. If you see a non-functioning vehicle parked in somebody's yard, call 215-2118 or e-mail Bob Whetsel at bwhetsel@ci.knoxville.tn.us. Abandoned or non-functioning cars are both eyesores and hazards. They invite criminals to break into them and are a hazard to other cars and to people in Old North Knoxville. An abandoned car might just have been used in a crime. For more information on this subject, go to http://www.ci.knoxville.tn.us/services/codes/ on the city web site. It is our duty as residents of Old North and citizens of Knoxville to report these things. It is part of the function of an active neighborhood watch, which we have. It is also one of the first steps in making our neighborhood a safer and friendlier place. We are the first line of defense in making our neighborhood a better place to live, and if we are not willing to help the police and codes enforcement department of the city, how can we expect them to help us? Return to newsletter table of contents
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