CRIME PREVENTION SERVICES:
The Crime Prevention Unit offers a wide variety of services
including:
-
Neighborhood Watch
– This program depends upon citizens to observe and report suspicious
or unusual activities. Call 540-983-0617,
extension 111 for more information.
-
Business Watch –
This program offers prevention training in robbery, burglary, shoplifting,
employee theft, and fraud. Call 540-983-0617,
extension 111 for more information.
- Security Assessments – The Crime Prevention
Unit will assess your property to aid in the protection of you and your
belongings. Call 540-983-0617,
extension 111 for more information.
- Vacation Checks – The Vinton
Police Department will check your property daily while you are away.
Call Vinton Dispatch at 540-983-0617,
extension 7 to schedule this service.
- Child Safety Services – Child Safety Services
include fingerprinting, photographing, and installing child safety seats.
Call 540-983-0617,
extension 111 for more information.
- Click Here to visit
the National Crime Prevention Council's Web Site for
more information about protecting yourself and your family.
- Click Here
to visit the Virginia Crime Prevention Association's Web Site
for more information about protecting yourself and your family.
- Click Here to
visit the Roanoke Valley Crime Line's Web Site to anonymously
report any information you may have about an unsolved crime. You may
be eligible to receive a reward up to $1,000 if your information leads
to an arrest and indictment.
VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE:
The following agencies provide assistance to victims and witnesses of
crimes:
| Abused Women’s Shelter |
540-345-0400 |
| Commonwealth’s Attorney |
540-387-6174 |
| Family Service of Roanoke Valley |
540-563-5316 |
| Roanoke County General District Court |
540-387-6168 |
| Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Court |
540-387-6160 |
| Roanoke County Social Services |
540-387-6087 |
| Roanoke Valley Crime Line |
540-344-8500 |
| Tap Women’s Resource Center |
540-345-6781 |
| Victim Witness Program |
540-387-6181 |
| Vinton Health Department |
540-857-7800 |
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS:
Also, please view the below Emergency Preparedness Brochure
brought to you by the region's Emergency Managers. This informative
brochure will tell you how to prepare your family for disasters (including
fires, floods, severe winter storms, hazardous materials incidents,
transportation accidents, essential resource shortages, and acts of
terrorism) that could happen in your area.
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) BROCHURE:
CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency
services and the people that they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel
to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces
in basic response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the
emergency response capability for their area. If a disastrous event
overwhelms or delays the community’s professional response, CERT
members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational
skills that they learned during training. These skills can help save
and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills
also apply to daily emergencies.
CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY:
The Vinton Police Department's Citizen Police Academy
provides community members with an inside look at local law enforcement.
The academy allows participants to experience conditions similar to
the training officers receive and exposes the participants to the daily
operational duties of police officers. It offers insights into how police
officers perform their duties and how the department serves the community.
The academy is taught by police officers, supervisors, and civilian
instructors with particular knowledge and expertise in their subjects.
The goal of the academy is to foster better communication between citizens
and police through education. There is no fee for attending the academy.
Instruction consists of one 3 hour class held each week for a duration
of ten weeks. Classes will be held at the Vinton Fire Department and
will be limited to 15 citizen attendees.
Participants must be at least 18 years of age,
must live or work in the Town of Vinton, and have no prior felony or
serious misdemeanor convictions. Criminal history and driving status
reports will be checked on each applicant.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED INCLUDE:
HOW TO APPLY:
AUTOMOBILE OCCUPANT SAFETY:
TYPES OF CHILD SAFETY SEATS:
-
Rear Facing – Newborn
to 1 year and at least 20 pounds.
-
Forward Facing –
At least 1 year old, over 20 pounds and up to 4 years
old, over 40 pounds.
- Booster Seats – Children under age
6, who are between 40 and 80 pounds and under 4'9"
tall.
- Seat Belts – Children age 6 and older
who are least 4'9" tall and about 80 pounds.
YOUR SAFETY BELT MUST BE PROPERLY WORN TO
BE EFFECTIVE. The lower portion of
the belt, or lap belt, should be worn just below the abdomen. The
top portion of the belt, or shoulder belt, should be worn away from
the neck and over the breastbone and collarbone.
REMEMBER: CHILDREN DO WHAT
THEY SEE!
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT!
AIRBAG SAFETY: Drivers must sit
at least 10 inches away from the hub of the steering wheel to avoid
the possibility of injury in the event of a crash causing airbag deployment.
Identity Theft
- Do not give out personal information over
the telephone, mail, or internet unless you contacted and
know the individual wanting the information.
- Do not put your credit card on the internet,
unless it is encrypted on a secured site.
- Shred all documents including pre-approved
credit card information and any financial statements that
include name(s) and your address.
Residence Protection
- Change locks after moving into a new home.
- Shrubbery close to your home should be
trimmed regularly.
- Use deadbolts on all exterior doors.
- Make your home appear occupied at all times.
Vehicle Protection
- Never leave your keys in the ignition or
leave the vehicle running.
- Park in a well-lighted area.
- Always lock your doors and roll-up the windows.
- Never leave valuables in plain view.
NOISE
ORDINANCE:
Town Code Section 34-25 General
prohibition.
In addition to the specific prohibitions contained
in this article, no person shall make, continue, or cause to be made,
continued or permitted any noise disturbances within the Town.
Town Code Section 34-26 Specific acts as noise disturbances.
The following acts are declared to be noise disturbances
in violation of this article. The acts so specified shall not be deemed
to be an exclusive enumeration of those acts which may constitute a noise
disturbance under section 34-25 and provided that the acts so specified
as follows may still constitute a noise disturbance under section 34-25
independently of the hours of the day such acts take place:
- Engaging in, or operating or causing to be operated
any equipment used, in the construction, repair, alteration or demolition
of buildings, streets, alleys or appurtenances thereto between the
hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day.
- Repairing, rebuilding or modifying any motor vehicle
or other mechanical device between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00
a.m. the following day in a manner as to be plainly audible across
property boundaries.
- Loading or unloading trucks in the outdoors within
100 yards of a residence between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
the following day.
- Sounding the horn or warning device of a vehicle,
except when necessary as a warning during the operation of the vehicle.
- Operating or permitting the use or operation of any
radio receiving set, musical instrument, television, phonograph or
any other device for the production of sound, between the hours of
9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day, in such a manner as to
be plainly audible across property boundaries or through partitions
common to two residences within a building or plainly audible at 50
feet from such device.
- Using or operating a loudspeaker or other sound amplification
device in a fixed or movable position exterior to any building, or
mounted upon any motor vehicle or mounted in the interior of a building
with the intent of providing service to an exterior area for the purpose
of commercial advertising, giving instruction, information, directions,
talks, addresses, lectures, or providing entertainment to any persons
or assemblage of persons on any private or public property, between
the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. the following day.
- Using or operating any motor vehicle without factory-installed
mufflers or their equivalent, on private property within a residential
use district.
- Using a radio receiving set, an audio cassette player,
a compact disc player, or other device for the production of sound
in a motor vehicle at a volume sufficient to disturb the occupants
of other vehicles, the occupants of residences or businesses, or pedestrians
in reasonable proximity to such motor vehicle.
For more information about the Noise Ordinance or
to report a possible violation of the Noise Ordinance, please call the Vinton
Police Department at 540-983-0617
and dial 7 to speak with the dispatcher.
MISSING CHILDREN RESOURCES:
AUTOMOBILE THEFT PREVENTION:
HELP ELIMINATE AUTO THEFT (H.E.A.T.):
1-800-947-HEAT(4328)
http://www.heatreward.com
Call 1-800-947-HEAT(4328) to report information on automobile
theft, theft of auto parts, chop shops, or carjackings. For more information
about H.E.A.T., visit the web site at http://www.heatreward.com.
Receive up to a $10,000 reward for
tips leading to an arrest.
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