The Michigan Daily-Thursday, March 19, 1981--Page 7 Neighbors band together in fight against crime Ar rnoto Tonight Show host Johnny Carson blasts the National Enquirer during his, Tuesday night show. Carson denounced an article about him and said the publication "stinks." Caro quips force_ jurors' dismissal By SANDRA SMITH Rather than quivering behind bolted doors, some Ann Arbor residents favoring stepped-up police protection are taking matters into their own han- ds. Neighborhood Watch, a program begun last fall under the direction of Ann Arbor Police Detective Bernard Price, had banded together neighbors in one-block sections of the city who look and listen for signs of criminal ac- tivity. WE'RE BASICALLY recruiting eyes and ears for the police department," Price said recently. Patterned after similar programs in cities across the country, Neighborhood Watch operates primarily in large housing complexes on the outer fringes of Ann Arbor. "It's more or less socializing and really getting to know your neighbors," Price said. "People watch each other's property, apartment-sit, and know each other's cars. If a strange car is seen in the area, the residents can obtain the license plate number and call us on a special communication hookup." THE COORDINATOR said the program was initiated soon after the September stabbing 'of Rebecca Huff, one of three Ann Arbor women mur- dered last year. Claudia Myszke, resident manager at Forest Hills Townhouses, reports that the program has, prevented both possible break-ins and a major fire. According to Myszke, one resident recently observed an arson attempt from her window and reported it to her court captain, who contacted police. Each household of 24-30 has a court captain, who is notified os suspicious activities. "THE PRESENCE of the court cap- tain helped the resident proceed with the case (against the alleged ar- sonist)," Myszke explained. "She knew that she had support and wouldn't have to face the police alone." Although the police department decided to start with large apartment complexes, it ultimately wants to in- volve the entire city, Price said. "We're shooting for the whole Ann Arbor community," he said. "We go out into various neighborhoods, put on presentations about hdne security, in- vite the residents to organize, and assist them with the organization of a Neighborhood Watch program." PRICE SAID that the idea for Neigh- borhood Watch originated with Police Chief William Corbett, who joined the Ann Arbor department last July. Corbett, formerly commander of Detroit's Fourteenth Precinct, ex- plained that the program was ex- tremely successful in Detroit. "We took a specific part of the city, in one-block areas, to try to get greater than 50 percent of the residents to par- ticipate," Corbett said. "In the Detroit pilot area, we got 100 percent par- ticipation and reduced crime by 50 per- cent," he added. The police department introduced the program to the University's Baits Housing on North Campus in Novem- ber, according to Resident Director Anne Richter. "A NUMBER OF people had ex- pressed concern to me in the fall after those three girls were murdered," Richter said. It was a great deal of fear, rather than a crime problem, that motivated Baits residents to organize a program. "We're just trying to make people more conscious of their environmental surroundings," Richter said. "People are interested and excited about the program," agreed Carol Bir- ch, property manager at Parkway Meadows housing cooperative. "We've had fantastic participation-96 or 97 percent," she said. Birch explained that the program currently exists only in the senior housing sections, but will eventually be set up in the family section as well, qtNONDEROSA MarCh 20 thru April17 '" A e11.Ynu' a~Eat Fish Fror AP and UPI LOS ANGELES-Two jurors were dismissed from Carol Burnett's $10 million libel suit against the National Enquirer yesterday after they heard Johnny Carson attack the tabloid on the "Tonight Show," but the judge denied a defense motion for a mistrial. Superior Court Judge Peter Smith excused the jurors after questioning the panel individually in his cham- bers. With only one alternate juror left to fill an empty chair, attorneys for both sides agreed tocontinue with 11 jurors. "EVERY JUROR and alternate was questioned rather extensively as the result of certain publicity that went, on (Tuesday) night on television," the judge told the reassembled jury without elaborating on the "publicity." On his show Tuesday night, Car- son denounced the Enquirer's current story about an estrangement from his wife as "ab- solutely, completely,1 100-percent falsehood" based on "innuendo, gossip, half-truths and speculation." Carson called the publication "and the people who wrote this liars." BURNETT testified Tuesday that she sued the supermarket weekly for printing a "pack of lies" portraying her as rude, uncaring, abusive and drunk in a Washington restaurant five years ago. Enquirer attorney William Masterson had asked Smith to poll the jurors to find out if any of them saw the Carsonshow, then moved for a mistrial after two jurors acknowledged seeing it. "I asked for a mistrial I think for fairly obvious reasons," Masterson told reporters outside court. "It was prejudicial publicity containing one- sided views which were unsubstan- tiated." Miss Burnett told reporters she had seen a replay of Carson's com- ments before she came to court. "I thought he was wonderful," she said. and SalaG DUEm i ,. RY s: . t $ - -- FOR A LIMITED TIME... enjoyscall the fish filets and all the salad you can eat. Dinner also includes baked potato and warm roll with butter... allfor one.low price! Regents get grim minority news (Continued from Page 1) Begin your day with 764-0558 The attrition rate for minority students traditionally has been much higher than that of non-minority students, with only 39.2 percent of the black freshmen who entered in 1975 receiving degrees as compared to 59.3 percent of the white students who en- tered at the same time. According to Eunice Royster, assistant director of the Opportunity Program, most of the students who drop out of school do so for reasons other than academic difficulties. THE OPPORTUNITY Program is a network of support systems which provide counseling and tutoring to educationally disadvantaged students, many of whom are minorities. Royster said the five full-time counselors see more than 600 students per month. "They (minority students) don't find the University to be a very warm Wpace,"~ said Royster. The level of competition and lack of support from other students contribute to minoritX attrition, she added. THE UNIVERSITY may claim it is attempting to increase minority enrollment and make life easier on campus, but several student leaders say they are not satisfied with the University's efforts. Minority students will address the Regents in their public comments session at 4 p.m. today. "They ought to be ashamed of them- selves-they have not lived up to their commitment," said Michigan Student Assembly Vice President Virna Hobbs, referring to the University's agreement more than a decade ago to try to reach 10 percent black enrollment by 1973. LSA Student Government member Emerson Baty said minority students are "not looking for handouts or to have any Wrong corrected," but want something to be done. "It's a frustrating thing to know people who have come up here and left after a year," he said. The University has adequate support services for minority students, accor- ding to MSA Vice 'President for Minority Affairs Kenneth Reeves, but many minority students come to Ann Arbor unprepared to meet the Univer- sity's tough academic standards. Reeves suggests that the University should' strengthen its commitment to minority students by reaching students before they come to the University. Was'hietti(( Arr. (Acroflss' fromit.-I rborliad shopping(Cntecr) Oil West ,'avdiu,,a BRld. (JIust North o f lielerseclion t o No carryout orders. Applicable taxes not included. At Participating Steakhouses. C 1981 Ponderosa System, Inc. 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