By Lindsay Peyton

If you’re resolving to make your home or business safer this year, Mark Solomon has some advice.

Solomon, who serves as crime prevention coordinator for the Seattle’s South and Southwest Precinct, starts each day reading officers’ incident reports and gathering information about burglaries, robberies and assault in the area.

With his finger on the pulse of crime in West Seattle, he knows what residents should be most concerned about and what cautionary steps they can take.

“We see the same crime types happening over and over again,” Solomon said. “It’s a lot of property crimes and a lot of car prowls.”

To deter the theft of items left in automobiles, he suggests removing anything of value from the car’s interior and keeping the doors locked.

“Car prowls are prevalent, but they’re totally preventable,” he said. “Park in a well-lit place. If you have a garage, make room for your car in the garage. If you can’t park in a garage, can you at least move your car off the street?”

He also thinks adding a motion-sensor light near the car can prevent theft.

Burglary is another major concern. “It’s not just the loss of your stuff,” Solomon said. “There’s a sense of total violation – and it’s maddening.”

He advises residents to consider all possible ways to secure windows and doors.

Solomon said that to deter robbers, residents should be vigilant at all times. “When you’re out and about, pay attention,” he said. “Hang up the phone and put it away.”

If a robber has a weapon, he said to hand over what they want. “Give them the stuff, get away and call us as fast as possible,” he said. “Get somewhere safe. But do not resist, physical stuff is not worth getting hurt over.”

Solomon added that knowing neighbors is an important safety measure.

“Neighbors are the best deterrent to any criminal activity,” he said. “It’s just a matter of waving and saying hi. We encourage people to get together on block watches, formal or informal. The better you know what’s normal in your neighborhood, the better you are able to notice what’s out of place.”

Karen Berge, co-founder of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, agreed.

“There are so many reasons to get to know your neighbor,” she said. “If there’s an emergency, your neighbors can be your first responders. Officers, no matter how effective they are, can’t possibly watch every house and every vehicle. It’s not feasible. We have to rely on neighbors and friends.”

The West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network was created to revitalize the block watch system.

The group provides a number of resources to block watch captains and hosts regular meetings, which are open to the public and feature guest speakers on a variety of safety topics. The next meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at the SW Precinct, located at 2300 SW Webster St.

Solomon is a regular guest speaker at the group. “He always brings really great insights and is able to address all the specifics,” Berge said. “If someone wants to start a neighborhood block watch, he’ll come over and help. He’s really good at getting those first meetings going.”

Solomon is also willing to assess individual businesses or residences and recommend ways to increase security.

Berge said that burglaries, car prowls and package thefts are typically top matters of concern for block watch captains in West Seattle.

“Package theft has been huge and there’s been a rash of break-ins in vehicles,” she said. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be diligent about not leaving things in plain sight in vehicles and not leaving cars unlocked.”

To prevent package theft, she suggests asking a neighbor to keep an eye out for a delivery or having items sent to one’s work address.

Berge said another important task for block watch captains is educating residents about calling 911.

“We want people to know the basics,” she said. “If people have more information, they can be more effective as citizens. And if you see something happening that’s suspicious, report it. Don’t let it slide.”

Solomon agreed that reporting crime is essential in creating safer neighborhoods.

“It’s okay to call 9-11,” he said. “We want people to use the system. We’d rather someone make that call.”

He explained that crime reports can be filled out online or made over the phone. Each precinct also has a front desk open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Solomon distributes a regular newsletter and information about area crime. To sign up, email mark.solomon@seattle.gov.

To learn more about the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, visit https://wsblockwatchnet.wordpress.com.