After 30 years working as a crime prevention coordinator for the Seattle Police Department, Benjamin Kinlow will retire March 15 … but not before imparting his wisdom to one last class of soon-to-be blockwatch captains in West Seattle.

The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network (WSBCN) put on a blockwatch training session at the Southwest precinct on March 7 for anyone interested in what it takes to form a blockwatch and how to be a productive blockwatch member.

In West Seattle the vast majority of crime is property crime (burglaries, car prowls and car thefts) that occur in our neighborhoods, making organized blockwatches with a watchful collective eye a potent deterrent.

“Almost all of our arrests are because concerned citizens take the time to call 911 and I believe West Seattle (has) probably one of the most alert and caring citizens in the City …” Kinlow said.

Kinlow said the first step in forming a blockwatch is to invite everyone to a neighborhood meeting. The purpose of that first meeting is to meet everyone interested in taking part, gather contact information and create a map of who lives where on the block.

In addition, Kinlow recommended an open discussion of crime problems people have witnessed or been the victim of over the past year, with someone volunteering to take notes. That information helps blockwatch members identify suspicious activity to look out for and can also be passed on to the SW Precinct Community Police Team officers.

Kinlow said, once a blockwatch has formed, to have at least one person attend the monthly WSBN meetings to keep up to date (visit http://wsblockwatchnet.wordpress.com/ for details). He also said forming a block party on Night Out (the first Tuesday of August each year) is a great way to reconnect with neighbors. Karen Berge, a leader of WSBCN, said a Night Out party is also a good opportunity to gather updated contact information for anyone who’s phone or email has changed and meet any new additions to the neighborhood.

Once the social aspect of getting to know your neighbors is taken care of, the next step is learning how to watch out for each other, watch out for suspicious activity and safeguard your property to make life more difficult for thieves.

“That higher level of communication (is what) really takes a blockwatch from a bunch of neighbors who know each other to a bunch of very much informed people who know what crime is relevant in their area …” CPT Officer Jon Kiehn said at the training session.

Kinlow’s training then moved into specific tactics for a successful blockwatch.

If you are gone for an extended period of time, Kinlow said:

-Have certain house lights and possibly your TV on a timer to turn on during the night

-Have a neighbor pick up your newspaper and mail. If they pile up, it is a telltale sign to thieves

-Have a neighbor park in your driveway while you are gone

-Have a trusted neighbor keep an eye on your house while you are gone and report suspicious activity to 911

-Have your lawn cut by someone if you are gone for a long time

-Install motion detector lights on the outside of your house

To safeguard your house and make it more difficult for burglars to get inside, Kinlow said to:

-Get solid wood or steel doors installed with three to four inch screws that drive all the way into the walls of the house rather than just the door framing, making it much harder to kick down

-Have a security film installed on the glass in your house. The film allows the glass to spider, but not actually shatter. Another option is acrylic windows that cannot shatter

-Install a security system linked to all doors and windows in the house

-Keep ladders locked up so burglars cannot use them to gain access to higher-up windows

-Walk around your house and think like a burglar, looking for weak points that allow for easy entry

Once a burglar makes it inside your house, Kinlow said their first target is usually the master bedroom where people tend to keep valuables like jewelry and handguns. He recommended keeping those valuables hidden away in an odd place outside the bedroom. He also said small moves like putting a book or pillow over your laptop can keep burglars from finding those high-value items.

In the worst case scenario where you come home and find your house burglarized, Kinlow said it is important to make a list of all your valuables ahead of time, with serial numbers, estimated value, location of the items and digital photographs. That information can help police track down your property and aid in insurance claims. He also recommended engraving items with your driver's license number, although there is the unlikely possibility a thief would use it for identity theft.

“Being a homeowner for years we buy so much and have so much its almost impossible to figure out what’s missing if you are the victim of a burglary so that’s why I really recommend taking the time to make an inventory list,” Kinlow said.

In terms of keeping an eye out for suspicious activity on your block, Kinlow said the main factors are having a “friendly” neighborhood and considering all of the block your property.

“Make your neighborhood a friendly place for people who have a legitimate reason to be there and make it a horrible place for the criminal because they don’t want to be noticed.”

He recommended approaching strangers on your block and just saying, “Hi,” which will be well received by people without ill-intentions and may drive criminals from your block.

“If you see someone in your backyard you would be concerned about them right? And you are going to look into it. Think about the sidewalk and your street as part of your property. It may not be your backyard but you should be concerned about what’s going on there …” he added.

He also said having blockwatch members put "No Solicitor" signs on their doors keeps thieves from knocking on doors posing as salespeople or service providers.

Regarding car prowls, Kinlow said the two most important factors are keeping valuables out of sight and (ideally) out of your vehicle. He also said if you need to keep valuables in your car to hide them prior to parking at your final destination as thieves will watch for people hiding items once they park, then identify that vehicle as a good target.

Currently there are seven crime prevention coordinators in Seattle, however that number will be reduced to four once Kinlow and two others retire. It is uncertain at this time how the remaining coordinators will split their duties and how available they will be for training in West Seattle.

There will be a retirement party for Benjamin Kinlow at the SPD Southwest Precinct community room on Thursday, March 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. The precinct is located at 2300 s.w. Webster Street, next to Home Depot and the party is open to the public.