Town of Munster: Crime Prevention

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1005 Ridge Road
Munster, IN 46321

Telephone Number: 219-836-6900
Facsimile Number: 219-836-8350
Staff Directory

Crime Prevention

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Date of Record: February 27, 2009

My name is Officer James Ghrist and I have served as the D.A.R.E./Crime Prevention Officer for the Munster Police Department since December 2004. Since that time our department has established several exciting new crime prevention programs with the help of many dedicated residents. Many of these programs are listed further down below. To view some of our accomplishments by working together, please click here.

I currently have an office at Eads Elementary School but can meet with residents at the Munster Police Department upon request to discuss various neighborhood issues. I am also available to conduct home/business security inspections, safety talks, or station tours, so please contact me if you'd like to set up an appointment. I can be reached at 836-6639 or jghrist@munster.org.

I also implemented and continue to produce the Munster Neighborhood Weekly Report each Monday for interested residents. I encourage everyone to get involved so that you can stay as informed as possible about the threat of crime in our community and so that you can learn about ways to help yourself from becoming a victim. You can also help your neighborhood by volunteering to serve as a Block Captain. To sign up for the report please click here.

Please read on to learn more about our informative crime prevention programs. We hope to see you at our many events, meetings and programs that are scheduled throughout the year.

To view a list of available crime prevention topics from the Munster Police Department, please click here.

The Munster Neighborhood Crime Watch Program was developed in April 2005 and is now made up of over 100 highly-organized Crime Watch groups involving thousands of Munster residents all throughout Munster. Block Captains forward information on recent crime activity and prevention methods (The Munster Neighborhood Crime Watch Weekly Report) to their respective groups on a weekly basis in an effort to keep our residents informed and on guard against the threat of crime. For more information on Neighborhood Crime Watch please click here.

The Munster Business Crime Watch Program was founded in January 2007 and is modeled after the highly-successful Neighborhood Crime Watch Program. The program currently involves over 80 area businesses which are provided with information on recent crime activity and prevention methods relative to businesses through the Munster Business Crime Watch Weekly Report. The program is for any business, large or small, and also includes churches or schools. For more information on this program please click here.

The CHOICE Community Council was founded in 1994 by then-Munster Police Chief William Sudbury and Mrs. Paula Nellans. CHOICE is an open forum for any Munster resident who wants to help plan events (such as the National Night Out Against Crime) and other programs that help to educate the public on the dangers of drugs, gangs, and violence. CHOICE also discusses current crime prevention programs sponsored through the Munster Police Department. The CHOICE Community Council meets quarterly in January, April, July, and October or whenever else necessary at the Town Hall. Click here for more information on the CHOICE Community Council.

The National Night Out Against Crime is held on the first Tuesday of each August all throughout the country, and Munster has celebrated the event for the past 13 years. This event allows the public and police department to celebrate the town's mission to stand together against crime through a variety of attractions and activities including swimming, games, and other exhibits. Munster's event has grown tremendously over the past several years, attracting a large number of participants. For more information on this year's event along with photos from past years, click here.

The Crime Tip Line (836-1010) was established in 2007 and allows residents to provide anonymous tips in regards to past or future criminal activity in town. This information includes past incidents of crime, drug houses, and other helpful tips. This line should NOT be used for crimes in progress or information pertaining to immediate threats to the safety of others. For that type of information please dial the main police line at 836-6600 or 911 in the event of an emergency. For more information on the Crime Tip Hotline, click here. Anonymous tips can also be provided through our e-mail tip line on this website.

Home and Business Security Inspections are available at no charge through the Munster Police Department. Contact Officer Ghrist at 836-6639 to schedule an appointment, in which he will provide you with a list of strengths and improvement areas in a written report following a thorough survey of the grounds. These surveys take at least 30-60 minutes or more depending on the size of your home or business. For more information, click here.

Operation Identification is when residents use etchers (which can be borrowed from the Munster Police Department) to mark electronic equipment with unique numbers making them easier to trace and recover if stolen. Non-etchable items are photographed and placed with a copy of the etched items in a safe place. This information can then be handed over to police in the event of a burglary or other type of theft. Window stickers are provided to residents who participate in this program so that they can let potential burglars know that their items will be easier to trace if stolen. For more information on Operation Identification, click here.

The Police Trading Card Program provides children in our community with cards bearing the likeness of our officers along with a short biography, personal message, and contact information. This program allows kids to get to know our officers and to have fun collecting the cards at the same time. We especially would like to thank MISS PRINT for the sponsorship of the majority of our trading cards. For a complete listing of the cards available, click here .

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