Local man takes over south Phoenix patrol

For Phoenix Assistant Police Chief Kevin Robinson, taking over the South Patrol Division, which includes Ahwatukee Foothills, is a little like coming home.

That's partly due to him living here, but also because for more than 10 years Robinson's been batting for the Ahwatukee Foothills area when it comes to an expanded police presence.

He helped bring more officers to the area and helped to expand the tiny police substation that was at one time in a strip mall near 48th Street and Ray Road. Operations then moved to a pair of donated mobile homes and now is a professional facility in the Pecos Park Community Center.

"We've come a long way," Robinson said.

At the same time, he also understands some of the issues facing residents like burglaries, which, along with property crimes in general, make up the most common crime in Ahwatukee Foothills.

Robinson himself was almost the victim of a burglary a few months ago when around 11 p.m. two suspects attempted to break into his Ahwatukee Foothills home. He said he called the police and then grabbed a baseball bat and waited for them to get in. Fortunately, for the bad guys, they couldn't get past the locked door and escaped into the neighborhood when police arrived.

"I can be a victim, anyone can be a victim," Robinson said.

With budgets tight and police resources spread thin throughout the Valley, there is just so much Robinson, or precinct Cmdr. Dave Faulkner, another Ahwatukee Foothills resident, can do.

But Robinson has some plans up his sleeve.

"We're well aware of the needs of the community," he said. "We have some changes we want to make by the first of the year."

Crime statistics show that Ahwatukee Foothills is a safe community but, at 35 square miles and with a population larger than Flagstaff, patrol officers assigned to Ahwatukee Foothills can sometimes get swamped with calls for service and criminals often find residents who are a little too trusting.

One thing people can do to help the police and help cut the odds of becoming a victim is to keep valuables out of sight and locked up, keep garage doors closed and call the police when something looks suspicious.