http://desertfoothillsposse.org
Phone: 602-697-7932
Address: David Bennett, Commander
Desert Foothills Sheriff’s Posse
P.O. Box 3848
Carefree AZ 85377
Email: dfoothillsposse@gmail.com
The Desert Foothills Posse is an all volunteer organization of specially trained men and women who serve the residents of Maricopa County Arizona in Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Hills and Tonto Hills by providing
law enforcement support services to the Sheriff. We are a group of unpaid individuals who gladly give their time and effort every year to help keep our community safer.
In addition to patrolling our neighborhoods, the DFSP conducts vacation watches, answers audible alarms, transports prisoners, provides deputy backup and ride as 2nd man units. All of these duties provide
additional eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Office in your community.
DFSP owns and operates a number of fully marked patrol cars equipped with radios, allowing direct communication with MCSO deputies and dispatch. Posse members also carry portable radios for traffic
control and other details. Other equipment is available for details such as fingerprinting, search and rescue,
etc.
Home Safety Council - Visit the Home Safety Council for ways to make your
home safer
Be Vigilant and Prevent Theft from Your Vehicle
Author: Linda Johnson, Chair, Anthem Neighborhood Watch
1. Close the garage door! If something is stolen, you won’t realize it’s missing until
you need it. Keep the door between the garage and the house locked.
2. If you must park in the driveway or on the street, make sure the car is locked, the
windows are up, and don’t leave anything in view that would tempt someone to
break into the car. This includes empty boxes or bags. If you can’t remove
something, at least lock the items inside the glove compartment or trunk.
Do NOT hide keys in your car. Burglars are familiar with this technique!
If you have an alarm system, USE IT!
5. Use a steering wheel or gas pedal locking device.
6. Consider installing a “kill switch.”
7. Look into installing a vehicle tracking system.
8. Have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched on the windshield.
9. Do NOT store your title in the car!
10. Do NOT leave your garage door opener in the car. If thieves take that, they have
access to your home.
The most commonly taken items from vehicles include: GPS, small electronics, wallets,
and money. Be aware that your GPS can save your home address and your garage door
opener can allow a thief an entry point. The visible GPS unit is an obvious target and car
prowlers look for signs that one might be hidden inside the vehicle. These signs include a
mount on the window or dashboard or even the circle left on the windshield from a
suction cup. The best advice is to get rid of all tell-tale signs.
If Your Vehicle is Broken Into, Report It!
Your first duty is to report it to the police. Many Anthem residents are too embarrassed to
report auto theft because they left the vehicle unlocked or left their wallet or purse in the
car. I have heard some say, “I don’t call the police because it isn’t a big deal.” While it’s
true that some crimes aren’t as “big” or “important” as others, a crime is still a crime. If
people don’t call the police to report a crime, crime trends cannot be tracked and the
police aren’t aware there is a problem. This can result in fewer officers responding to
calls.
Be Vigilant!
Report suspicious people or activities you see in and around your neighborhood:
someone looking into windows and parked cars; cars, vans or trucks moving slowly with
no apparent destination and no lights on; abandoned cars; strangers sitting in cars or
even sleeping in cars; or property being taken by someone other than a homeowner.
Residents’ basic safety practices and working with our police will keep auto thieves away
from Anthem. If you hear a car alarm, take a look outside to see what’s going on. If you
hear barking dogs, go out and look around. And, always, always, always call the police if
you see someone trying to break into or damage a car.
What You Need to Know When Calling 911
Author: Barbara Tschop, Anthem Neighborhood Watch
“911, what is your emergency?” These can be words of comfort in our worst
emergencies, as 911 dispatchers will send us the help we need in a timely fashion. But
what is an “emergency”? What happens if you’re calling from a cell phone? What
happens if you mis dial? Below are answers to these questions.
When to Call 911…
911 should be called when there is: a crime in progress; a fire; a medical or life-
threatening emergency; or the potential for violence. When you call 911, the operator
will always ask that you verify your address or location. Although caller ID is available,
the most accurate method is to have you verify where you are. If you contact the wrong
call center, you will be transferred.
What You May be Asked…
The operator may also ask you to repeat information to ensure he/she is getting it
correctly. If you are reporting a crime, they may ask you if you wish to be contacted by
an officer. If you are a witness to a crime, you may be asked some of these questions:
• What happened?
• Where is the problem? (Exact location)
• When did this happen? (Determines priority of a call)
• Was anyone hurt?
• Were weapons involved?
• How did they leave? (By car, bike, on foot?)
• Who did it? (Suspect description)
• Where did the suspect go? (Direction)
• What did the suspect obtain? (In the case of theft, the type of item and/or the
amount)
Who is calling? (Your name and phone number)
The operator may also ask you to stay on the line until the officer arrives, especially if
you can give more information. As soon as it is confirmed that an emergency exists, the
call is transferred to the dispatcher so officers on the way continuously receive updated
information. While it may seem as if there are many questions, it is important to
remember that they are necessary and that help is coming while you and the dispatcher
are talking.
When You Mis dial…
Anytime you dial 911 in error, you should stay on the line whether you hear it ring or not.
Operators are required to call back all 911 hangup calls from landlines and some cell
phones. Officers may respond to verify that there is no emergency. Common causes of
911 hang-ups are children playing with the phone, cell phones in purses and pressing
“9” when dialing out from a business. All 911 centers are equipped with access to a
translation service with translators for 140 different languages, if English is not your
primary language. They all have TDD access.
When in Doubt…
I knew a dispatcher who was looking out of his window one night and saw two men
pushing a car down the street. He thought that seemed odd and that the car sort of
looked like his neighbor’s. However, he didn’t really know his neighbor, and he really
wasn’t sure anything was wrong, so he did nothing. The next morning, he went outside
to find his neighbor reporting that his car had been stolen. He told me he thought of all
the times in his career he told people to always call the police if they saw something
they didn’t think was right. It is always better to find out that everything is OK rather than
learning you could have done something and didn’t. Take a minute to meet and know
your neighbors, and if you see something suspicious, follow that gut feeling and report
it. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Phone: 602-697-7932
Address: David Bennett, Commander
Desert Foothills Sheriff’s Posse
P.O. Box 3848
Carefree AZ 85377
Email: dfoothillsposse@gmail.com
The Desert Foothills Posse is an all volunteer organization of specially trained men and women who serve the residents of Maricopa County Arizona in Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Hills and Tonto Hills by providing
law enforcement support services to the Sheriff. We are a group of unpaid individuals who gladly give their time and effort every year to help keep our community safer.
In addition to patrolling our neighborhoods, the DFSP conducts vacation watches, answers audible alarms, transports prisoners, provides deputy backup and ride as 2nd man units. All of these duties provide
additional eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Office in your community.
DFSP owns and operates a number of fully marked patrol cars equipped with radios, allowing direct communication with MCSO deputies and dispatch. Posse members also carry portable radios for traffic
control and other details. Other equipment is available for details such as fingerprinting, search and rescue,
etc.
Home Safety Council - Visit the Home Safety Council for ways to make your
home safer
Be Vigilant and Prevent Theft from Your Vehicle
Author: Linda Johnson, Chair, Anthem Neighborhood Watch
1. Close the garage door! If something is stolen, you won’t realize it’s missing until
you need it. Keep the door between the garage and the house locked.
2. If you must park in the driveway or on the street, make sure the car is locked, the
windows are up, and don’t leave anything in view that would tempt someone to
break into the car. This includes empty boxes or bags. If you can’t remove
something, at least lock the items inside the glove compartment or trunk.
Do NOT hide keys in your car. Burglars are familiar with this technique!
If you have an alarm system, USE IT!
5. Use a steering wheel or gas pedal locking device.
6. Consider installing a “kill switch.”
7. Look into installing a vehicle tracking system.
8. Have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched on the windshield.
9. Do NOT store your title in the car!
10. Do NOT leave your garage door opener in the car. If thieves take that, they have
access to your home.
The most commonly taken items from vehicles include: GPS, small electronics, wallets,
and money. Be aware that your GPS can save your home address and your garage door
opener can allow a thief an entry point. The visible GPS unit is an obvious target and car
prowlers look for signs that one might be hidden inside the vehicle. These signs include a
mount on the window or dashboard or even the circle left on the windshield from a
suction cup. The best advice is to get rid of all tell-tale signs.
If Your Vehicle is Broken Into, Report It!
Your first duty is to report it to the police. Many Anthem residents are too embarrassed to
report auto theft because they left the vehicle unlocked or left their wallet or purse in the
car. I have heard some say, “I don’t call the police because it isn’t a big deal.” While it’s
true that some crimes aren’t as “big” or “important” as others, a crime is still a crime. If
people don’t call the police to report a crime, crime trends cannot be tracked and the
police aren’t aware there is a problem. This can result in fewer officers responding to
calls.
Be Vigilant!
Report suspicious people or activities you see in and around your neighborhood:
someone looking into windows and parked cars; cars, vans or trucks moving slowly with
no apparent destination and no lights on; abandoned cars; strangers sitting in cars or
even sleeping in cars; or property being taken by someone other than a homeowner.
Residents’ basic safety practices and working with our police will keep auto thieves away
from Anthem. If you hear a car alarm, take a look outside to see what’s going on. If you
hear barking dogs, go out and look around. And, always, always, always call the police if
you see someone trying to break into or damage a car.
What You Need to Know When Calling 911
Author: Barbara Tschop, Anthem Neighborhood Watch
“911, what is your emergency?” These can be words of comfort in our worst
emergencies, as 911 dispatchers will send us the help we need in a timely fashion. But
what is an “emergency”? What happens if you’re calling from a cell phone? What
happens if you mis dial? Below are answers to these questions.
When to Call 911…
911 should be called when there is: a crime in progress; a fire; a medical or life-
threatening emergency; or the potential for violence. When you call 911, the operator
will always ask that you verify your address or location. Although caller ID is available,
the most accurate method is to have you verify where you are. If you contact the wrong
call center, you will be transferred.
What You May be Asked…
The operator may also ask you to repeat information to ensure he/she is getting it
correctly. If you are reporting a crime, they may ask you if you wish to be contacted by
an officer. If you are a witness to a crime, you may be asked some of these questions:
• What happened?
• Where is the problem? (Exact location)
• When did this happen? (Determines priority of a call)
• Was anyone hurt?
• Were weapons involved?
• How did they leave? (By car, bike, on foot?)
• Who did it? (Suspect description)
• Where did the suspect go? (Direction)
• What did the suspect obtain? (In the case of theft, the type of item and/or the
amount)
Who is calling? (Your name and phone number)
The operator may also ask you to stay on the line until the officer arrives, especially if
you can give more information. As soon as it is confirmed that an emergency exists, the
call is transferred to the dispatcher so officers on the way continuously receive updated
information. While it may seem as if there are many questions, it is important to
remember that they are necessary and that help is coming while you and the dispatcher
are talking.
When You Mis dial…
Anytime you dial 911 in error, you should stay on the line whether you hear it ring or not.
Operators are required to call back all 911 hangup calls from landlines and some cell
phones. Officers may respond to verify that there is no emergency. Common causes of
911 hang-ups are children playing with the phone, cell phones in purses and pressing
“9” when dialing out from a business. All 911 centers are equipped with access to a
translation service with translators for 140 different languages, if English is not your
primary language. They all have TDD access.
When in Doubt…
I knew a dispatcher who was looking out of his window one night and saw two men
pushing a car down the street. He thought that seemed odd and that the car sort of
looked like his neighbor’s. However, he didn’t really know his neighbor, and he really
wasn’t sure anything was wrong, so he did nothing. The next morning, he went outside
to find his neighbor reporting that his car had been stolen. He told me he thought of all
the times in his career he told people to always call the police if they saw something
they didn’t think was right. It is always better to find out that everything is OK rather than
learning you could have done something and didn’t. Take a minute to meet and know
your neighbors, and if you see something suspicious, follow that gut feeling and report
it. It is always better to be safe than sorry.