Friday, March 29, 2024

Be proactive to be safe

Bridgeport resident sounds the alarm over citizen safety, security

Posted

BRIDGEPORT – A homeowner who experienced an uncomfortable encounter with a trespasser/intruder last month is sounding the alarm for citizens to become more alert and proactive concerning matters of their own safety and security.

The long-time resident who wishes to remain anonymous was awakened very early one December morning to her dog barking. When she checked to see what was causing the disturbance, she saw a stranger standing outside her fenced yard.

The stranger also saw her, easily cleared the locked gate and six-foot fence, and advanced toward the enclosed porch where the resident was watching.

“The country girl in me recognized that the young man was high on something and out of his mind,” the resident said. “I had never seen anyone so stoned.”

Realizing that the approaching stranger could be carrying a concealed weapon, the resident grabbed the nearest defensive tool within reach, a metal handled broom. As the young man approached within a foot of her the resident began beating him with the broom, to which he took little notice until the metal handle started to have an effect as he was beaten about the head.

The resident said she was calling for help while this was going on, but owing to the early morning hours nobody apparently heard her. She also called 911 for assistance.

While the young man retreated, barefoot and clearly disoriented, he remained on the private property until a Douglas County deputy arrived within 30 minutes to apprehend him.

“I can take care of myself,” the homeowner said but the encounter made her aware that there are brief periods during the week where law enforcement coverage in Bridgeport is either light or immediately unavailable and city residents must take that into account for their own safety.

Í want to feel safe when I go to work; I want to feel safe when I come home, and I don’t anymore,” she said.

Newly elected Douglas County Sheriff Kevin Morris lives in Bridgeport, and that is a plus for residents considering the sheriff’s office is headquartered in East Wenatchee. Morris spoke to members of the Bridgeport City Council last month for the first time since his election last November to give them an update on the status of his department.

Morris said he has worked hard to get more deputies on staff and has seen the force grow from three full-time deputies in 2000 to a sergeant, six deputies and a Bridgeport SRO (School Resource Officer) working today. He said that is much better coverage than previously.

“Even with that, we can’t do 24 hours all the time,” said Morris. “Our general time is 7:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the morning, 22 hours…and never less than 20 hours, 7:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the morning.”

Morris added that even with 24-hour coverage his deputies in the north end of the county must cover 700 square miles and response times are typically 30 minutes-plus.

The homeowner said she has faith in Morris, appreciates the fact that he is a city resident, and thinks he is doing the best he can. That said, she wants city residents, particularly the elderly or physically compromised, to pay more attention to their own security. That may involve installation of security cameras, neighborhood watch groups, devices like air horns that can alert emergencies, and similar measures.

A good start would be for everyone to at least lock their doors.

“So many older people that I know don’t lock their doors,” the homeowner said. “Back in the day, security wasn’t a problem. Now, I deadbolt my back-porch door.”

The message she wants to get circulated around town is: “Do what you need to do to be safe.”

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