Cape police to meet with residents in first Roll Call event

The Cape Girardeau Police Department is launching another new program to put residents in direct contact with patrol officers.

The program, Neighborhood Roll Call, first will be held at 7 p.m. today at Fourth and Main streets in the Red Star District of Cape Girardeau.

Neighborhood Roll Call, much like to Coffee With Cops, is intended to allow residents to become familiar with the officers and to encourage them to interact with officers and be watchful of what's happening in their neighborhoods, Lt. Rodney Barker said.

The name of the program comes from the briefing at the beginning of each shift at the police station. During these briefings, information is relayed about crimes that have occurred over the past several days and neighborhoods where additional patrols have been requested.

Barker said the whole shift that is working that night -- not only the officers who typically patrol a given area -- will be on hand for Neighborhood Roll Call.

"Basically we have roll call here at the station at every shift change," Barker said. "Instead of doing that at the station, we're just going to do it out in the community."

Barker said the Red Star District was chosen first because of input given at a Neighborhood Development Initiative meeting.

"... They had expressed concern about they never see police in their area since the casino was built, and that kind of cut off in that area up there," Barker said. "So we just want to let them know that we're there and we know what goes on up there."

Barker said if all goes well, the department plans on holding Roll Call in a different area of town about once a week, so it's not necessary for residents to travel to other neighborhoods to attend.

"Eventaully, we'll get to their neighborhood."

kwebster@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

Fourth and Main streets, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701