Great Job,

I live on Lyndhurst, I know exactly what you're talking about. I would love to support you, but it's because of the drug activity and the fact that we were recently robbed that I'm moving from this neighborhood. I wish you all well.

Best of luck taking back the streets, unfortunately cuts in public safety services affect us all no matter where we live !

We live in the area...SOUTHSIDE as its known...City nor Sheriffs Dept is concerned about this area...Armed home invasion on our street...No police presence drugs and gangs everywhere...Its a battle I wish could be won...Just isn't going to happen...

Total count for people at event end up being over 60. Many neighbors reported what they had seen. Deputies and City have agree to help reduce crime.

I used to live on Norfolk St over 17 yrs ago. I started a neighborhood watch in conjunction with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Dept. Unfortunately, hardly any of the neighbors wanted to participate. I wish you better luck

Your efforts are appreciated but its not going to come to be. Dealers and the such are all over this area dealing at all hours. Criminals are always out everywhere at all hours...BUT NOT THE LE! There are NO sheriff patrols to hinder or stop it. This area we live in has always been scoffed at by the City of Dunedin as well as the LE. We have lived here a very long time and we are a forgotten part of Dunedin/Pinellas County. Theres even a sub station in Kings Highway and the aren't deterring anything that goes on there! So we are hiding our heads in the sand to think anything is going to change!

@ Lori: about 2 mos ago. And NO it didn't make the news.
@ Carin A.: You're totally right. Sad :(

I used to live on New York Avenue. We had a really bad prowler problem in that area and I called the sherrif's office numerous times and they never did anything about it. I had to move. I chose to stay in the Dunedin area, just a different part. I haven't had anyone try to break into our home like I had at the old house, but it makes me sad to say I think I regret buying here. I love dunedin so much, I went to high school here, I wanted to stay here for the long term, but it's really going down hill. You can't even go into walgreens w/o getting a case of the creeps, even in the middle of the day. Such a bummer.

Anyone interested in being part of neighborhood watch, let me know. We would love to have you on our team.

Lets get real....NO POINT IN WATCH without presence and actions of LE! This town has obviously kept quiet MANY, MANY armed home invasions, robberies etc that should make the news to let these scum know the LE is smarter than them...but NO...Not happening! Teams are great...but we can't take the law into our own hands. And I know for a fact citizens call, and the creeps are long gone...Again..WE ARE FORGOTTEN IN DUNEDIN! Downtown gets ALL the help...ALL kinds...For us who butt up to Union Street and Kings Hwy where alot of stuff starts we are left to fend for ourselves!

I know some people are not going to like my view of things...I have spent alot of money on renovating my home. I have been here over 20 years. I raised my family here. I don't want to move....BUT we are being driven out by SCUM! There are more SCUM than LE...and for the most part out smart them much of the time! The other day I heard there was a guy on Milwaukee at LoGarto relieving himself and another a few days later performing a act on himself. I heard from a friend who was at the library that she saw a drug deal happening right there! Cmon...we the little people are going to change this? NOPE!

I live on Orangewood. I had a drug dealing next door neighbor about 3 years ago and I believe he had a police scanner. Every time I called the police, everyone disappeared until the cops left. And he would retaliate. So please be careful! I feel I called the police so many times that the left in the middle of the night when the cops started making their presence known more often, camping out on nearby street corners. But all it did was move the drug dealer to another neighborhood. Fine by me! But I know that's not a long term solution for Dunedin. If you know of one in the Orangewood area let me know!

Lori contact katie

What does LE mean? From the sound of it I live in the LE.

Lori P...Absolutely correct!

To Stacy- RE: LUCY
Since the LE said they were going to help prevent crime why don't you ask them why they don't put it out in the news about ALL the armed home invasions, robberies, drug activity areas....More info out there...maybe a bit of a deterent? My opinion...they are telling you what you want to hear...Actions speak louder than words!

Lower East?

LE is law enforcement

Law Enforcement is LE.
The corridor/area from Milwaukee & Douglas bordering Union to about Beltrees has always been known as the BLIGHTED SOUTHSIDE. Nothing happens down here...No "beautification" and most certainly NO police patrols. Drug dealers and dangerous criminals are sucking up our living space...NOTHING CAN BE DONE! time to head for the hills....We have lived here a LONG time..How much longer tho? Take a HUGE loss on the home we have worked hard on and move away...In order for our areato be "cleaned" up gotta rid the area of all the undesireables....from ALL areas surrounding us....NOT HAPPENING. I'm just not living in a little fantasy world anymore hoping for change.

The substantial cuts to public safety funding in Dunedin during the last four years has been very costly to the health, safety, and welfare of residents in our city and especially so for the south side neighborhoods The cuts were absolutely unnecessary.

With a city-wide budget of over $71 million, the cuts to public safety services are policy decisions that could have, and should have, been avoided. The cuts were not forced upon the elected official by “difficult financial times” – they are being forced upon residents by elected officials spouting a misleading economic rhetoric.

LE is law enforcement. The fence to cut off druggies is going up as I am sending this. This will cut off Lyndhurst to New York with four fences. If they get caught climbing it they are to be charged with criminal damage to city property. Also, if the city puts up the no trespass signs from dusk to dawn, that will be another fine.

This sign is for field that connects Lyndhurst to Orange Ave. That is what city advised when last they spoke. We shall see.

Bob Hackworth is SO RIGHT! But yet Dunedin spends 70K on a WORTHLESS City Logo!
Stacy, I admire your perseverance. That was me for years...I'm worn out. Dealers and Criminals have all the energy...

Do not give up lets work together. Bob what would you do as mayor?

I'm interested Stacy! Find me on facebook. I live on Orangewood. The house behind me and next to me have been empty for a long time. Looks like one is in the process of a purchase through a short sale. The other is a rental (where the drug dealer lived). When I went to the police they would say they had to witness things themselves, otherwise it was a civil case. The guy had his customers drive across my lawn with their cars, he'd through beer bottles at my dogs in my dog run. He'd stand at the edge of his property and threaten me. He smashed my mailbox. He'd stand in his backyard and stare through my windows on that side of the house. All I could do was stay as far away as I could and keep calling the police, until they left in the middle of the night. I said to him no matter what you do to scare me off, I own the house so I'm not going anywhere.

Stacy, I applaud and support what you're doing. No one is saying we give up. I just wish the city would do what's necessary as far a public safety service funding is concerned and not make excuses about why they were forced to make more cuts -- even in the face of an increasing need. It should always be a question of how much does it cost to keep us safe -- not how much money do we have. And the point made above is very relevant. How do you have the money for things like $70K logos and then say you are forced to make cuts to public safety services? How can you claim the ability to make a 5% tax-rate cut on already declining property values, but also have to make more layoffs in the same year? If you can do logos and cut tax-rates you should have first fully funded the public safety needs in our town!!!!

My wife and I moved here just two years ago and love the quality of life in Dunedin. We have made many improvements to our property and volunteer with several local organizations. It seems to us there has been an increase in drug dealers, criminals, and riftraft here and as pour money into my property I am now asking myself will this really be the place where I will spend the rest of my life as I had orginally planned. We can't let this nice place be taken over by criminals or opportunists who want to take advantage of us. Our next Mayor and Sherrif wheter they be incumbents or not need to get tough on the low lifes committing crime here. I would hate to have to pull up our new roots here and sell our home and move to someplace like Safety Harbor.

Good for you Stacy and Don! I hope all works and your Neighborhood Watch expands.
We were the victims of an armed robbery in January and have been very alarmed in all the crimes we've heard of since. I am dumbfounded as to why no one in the sheriff's office and/or news have warned our neighborhoods as to the alarming frequencies these "events" have been occurring. We have lived in the "Southside" for over 25 years and have loved being a part of Dunedin. I now am still too traumatized to spend time in my own front yard. I want to be able to feel safe again, but many changes need to happen in our community. The responses, in my opinion need to come first from the Sheriff's department, as well as the leaders of the city of Dunedin. My fears are that we won't hear of the frequencies of these armed robberies until someone is critically hurt or killed. I can say that there are positives from our experience. Many of our neighbors, both ones we know, as well as newcomers to our immediate area have gone out of their way to let us know they care and they're watching out for us, as well as one another. We no longer have a formal Neighborhood Watch, but one that is just as effective.

Thanks Katie, really appreciate your attending and covering this. We put our email Addy on the sign up and are waiting for Stacy to contact us as she said she would.

I plan to focus energy on solutions rather than the problems.

Sue, Bob, Lori and many others are clear sighted.

I see LE presence all the time here, including K9 team, cruisers, and immediate response to called in concerns. They even left notes on all vehicles in the area that were left parked by their owners and not locked, saying, hey lock your cars, which I found very proactive. The key is WE are the eyes, and your call can be anonymous if you wish.

There is a crime listing by zip code in the Sunday Tampa Bay Times. The Dunedin listings consistently show the pattern of crime in the Southside.

I've lived in a nicer area of Dunedin for about 10 or 12 years now, very close to Lyndhurst and New York Ave. I think what Stacy and Donald are trying to do is a good idea, and clearly there are problems with drug dealers/users in that area. I occassionally go in that particular neighborhood near where Stacy and Donald live to visit a friend and his mother and I have noticed that LE comes literally everytime someone walks down their street. Teens that have never been in trouble or arrested have been unrightfully searched atleast over a dozen times since Stacy and Donald moved in. Also, I personally have never had problems with the law, drugs, ect. And I have had the cops called on me and been searched almost every time I go to visit my friend and his mother in the past few months. I appreciate their efforts, but I think the amount of unneccessary calls they make just adds up to harrassment. I understand, people selling/using drugs & causing chaos need to be stopped or atleast kept to a minimum, but I don't think its fair that innocent teens & adults are being searched over and over after never being found doing anything wrong. Take whatever action you feel is necessary, but if everyone who goes thru that neighborhood is constantly searched or harrassed by police, no "good" neighbors are going to want to live in the area anyway!

Lisa, I have to disagree with you, I have lived on Lyndhurst for many years and the drug dealing and fighting has been going on for awhile now. It has progressively gotten worse over the last few years. I am glad LE is more present now in the neighborhood, because someone has to do something before an innocent person of child gets hurt, by a stray bullet or a car flying throught the neighborhood. As far as innocent teens & adults being falsely stopped and searched (which I have not seen happen) if they are innocent they should'nt worry about it, but for the one's that are known drug dealers that is the chance you take when the SO knows who you are and what you have been involved in previously. Keep up the good work LE and Stacy and Don.

We have 5 young men not teens and one female not a teen, all of which have an extensive juvenile records and adult criminal records. How we discovered these young adults is by watching their very open activity in the street in broad daylight. When we contacted SO they were able to inform us of these adults criminal records. Most of these young adults have been in trouble with the law since they were 10 years old. A PARENT knowing this street has dealers would not let them come on this street with out supervision. Two these young adults have felony records. All with in the last 3 years. At Tuesday's meeting many neighbors reported the same suspects. Point we have drug deals happening on Lyndhurst Street, New York, Dog Wood, and Live Oak. They use the field between Lyndhurst and Orange and field between Lyndhurst and New York to peddle their drugs on foot and moped. These young people pass the drugs and money like a shell game. So yes, we have users even teens coming on our street to buy and sell. Lisa, grab a chair and come have a seat with us any Friday and Saturday afternoon from around 330pm and 430am on our street.

I agree with Lisa! Something needs to be done for the health and safety of our youngsters, but this has almost gone out of hand. I live on Lyndhurst and it seems as if there is a police car outside Donald and Stacy's everyday. Teenagers will be standing on the porch of their own houses with friends, obviously being harmless, and cops will pull up within minutes and once again everyone is searched and no one goes to jail.... How many times must this happen to the same people for the calls to stop? I feel as if maybe Stacy and Donald have a little too much time on their hands or they should stop targeting the same innocent kids. Its true, almost every time someone in the neighborhood walks down the street, cops are shortly following behind to stop that person or they go straight to Stacy and Donald's house. Ofcourse, when these kids are stopped they ask LE if there is a problem or if their doing something wrong, and the answer is always the same- they got a call for suspicious activity. But for what?! Hanging out outside?? It's almost to the point where it's not even enjoyable to sit on your own front porch with company anymore because you KNOW you're being watched by this couple & will probably be greeted by an officer.

Had a photo link, but seems Patch is holding comment with photo for "approval"...

For two years, this house has been lived in rent-free by residents who openly dealt a variety of illegal drugs. Only recently, after much consistent documenting of complaints were "some" of the residents arrested (they're already out on bond, and will likely receive a few months sentence,which is another subject). House is "in" foreclosure. Bank doesn't own officially, "owner of record" doesn't pay mortgage and no amount of fines or liens from code enforcement (unincorporated Pinellas County) motivate the "owner of record" to do anything at all. Even after raid with windows and doors boarded up, residents still "live" there. Gualtieri says it's a "civil matter".

This is one of the five males these people speak of. my name is Fred smartly and yes I may have been in trouble before but I as most of us have learned from my mistakes. I have lived in this neighborhood for eleven years now all of us have we grew up together. are parents all know each other and know were not bad kids. These people make us out to be the scum of the earth yet they are the ones who call the police on us for walking down the street yes a few of my friends do feed.into there mature nonsense but these people count on us saying things back when they harass us. We never bother these people until they started bothering us . most of you would say ignore them but its hard to ignore five police officers searching you and finding nothing everytime might I add. if they wanted to buy this.place and have the property value increase they should have bought somewhere else and calling the police all the time does not make a safe neighborhood either that looks bad to a realestate agent. so if you don't like the neighborhood you should save us all the trouble and just move to a better.area if you don't like it. its sad that people in there fortys harass twenty year olds on a daily basis that's imamature in my book that's when I walk by and smile and even say hi I know that I win by not giving you the satisfaction of yelling and looking childish. well now.you all know the truth make your own opinion but look at it from both sides.

Lyndhurst.
I think the intention is good for the neighborhood watch but i am concerned about another travon case happening here. Something about pulling a gun on anyone that is not armed scares me.

So Fred, what can be done to make things better? Seriously.

Are they destroying property? Littering? Disrupting the peace? Or just looking surly and "up to no good"?

The more I think about this the more I think the idea of "neighborhood watch" in its present form isn't going to do much. And law enforcement can only arrest. State Attorney decides to press or not press charges, and jails are overcrowded.

At the core of drug dealing is drug ADDICTION. Addiction is a mental health issue. And sadly, Pinellas County, and so many more places in this great country, still do not have affordable and accessible mental health services. If you're taking Prozac you obviously have a need and are lucky to be able to afford treatment. If you can't, you resort to other available mood enhancers. And there's tons of other issues connected here, but to ignore this and think law enforcement can fix it all is like trying to put a band-aid on a gusher. Let me suggest that these young people are BORED, for one thing. School is starting soon and some may be still in and that could help. Instead of a big ol' pretty sign that says "Welcome to Dunedin", there needs to be an effort to reach out to our younger residents (oh wait, they aren't spending money and paying taxes, so the hell with them, right?). A "consultant" should be hired for that kind of thing, and not just to decide on what colors to paint the latest condo highrise, for instance....Just saying....

We live off Beltrees. Not signs saying no trespass, not fences, not threats of fines as mentioned are going to stop the criminals (which includes drug dealers and users, thieves, weapon wielding thugs and the such. As has been said in many comments this part of Dunedin has been forgotten and forsaken...Gualtieri is WORTHLESS as are most of the decision makers in Dunedin when it comes to helping "THE SOUTHSIDE"...Maybe if a commissioner or someone with stature in this town was robbed at gunpoint or lived in this area they'd get it....Or would they???

Now would be a good time to present these problems (with statistics and facts) to the sheriff's candidates in time for the November election. I would include the area of north of Sunset Pt. Road through Union and east on Beltrees and much in-between. Law enforcement has to work TOGETHER with the commissioners and other officials, I again will offer my example of just off N. Betty Lane. House in foreclosure, "renters" lived rent-free for 2 years and practically had a neon sign for the sale of crack, pills, etc. Oh yeah, house is still there, grown up, furniture and trash all over. Fines, liens, nada, does nothing...Fine example for kids and others, huh? Says you live in a county where this behavior is accepted or very little done at all.

I have to applaud what you folks are doing. I live adjacent to your street (dogwood ct) where the drug activity is INSANE. The cops know and don't seem to care. People don't raise the alarm for fear of retribution of some form. Please shoot me an E-mail with info about the watch if it's not too much trouble. bringbackthecrusadesalready@gmail.com

Hi Stacy, Jason is going to give you my email address so that I can contact you. I have a condo in Victoria Palms and would like to help in this effort that you have statrted. Thank You, Jane

Dunedin is a beautiful place to live; HOWEVER, neighborhoods like this must be policed better than they are now! GOOD FOR STACY AND DONALD!! There is too much good in Dunedin. How about some undercover police getting involved!!! Any bad areas MUST be cleaned up. God bless these people. Let's get the garbage OUT OF TOWN! NOW!!!@

Seems like PCSO doesn't use advanced techniques like undercover drug buys or busts (except on hydroponic pot growers). Although Clearwater Police does as I'm sure do most other agencies in the ...world. Arrests only seem to come by luck. Dealers know what they're "dealing" with around here. That's part of why they're so out in the open. They don't fear the next customer will be a cop. Sad but true. And for those who don't report, as you can do easily and anonymously through Crimestoppers, you really have no right to complain. Remember, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

http://www.pcsoweb.com/news-release/12-192-deputies-investigate-home-invasionrobbery-in-dunedin-seek-multiple-suspects/

This story needs to be followed. I would think a reward should be offered as these guys sound pretty dangerous.

And so all the discussion STOPS! Since all this chatter I haven't seen but maybe 2 LEO in our area since the "night out" in the Southside patrolling...Do you see...we are a red-headed step child as Sur B said....and NOTHING is going to change that!

Brynn, I hear you, neighbor....but it takes MORE than just extra patrols. If you want to discuss more solutions than that, then make it known. It IS frustrating to everyone. But look outside the box or the envelope or whatever and come up with something besides whining! Hell, just "google" "how to improve a neighborhood" and you'll see. Don't mean to sound like I'm swatting your hand, okay maybe I am, but come on, let's DO something!

I have a friend whose neighbor in January was robbed at gunpoint..(armed home invasion).Everyone has turned their heads...Seems as if you may have the answers?

Brynn,
You or your friend can request the police reports (for one thing) at the Dunedin substation. Or maybe even through the website at PCSO. There's no charge to residents, or maybe a minimal charge if it's very long. Just bring an I.D. and date of the incident. It's public record unless it's been presented to the State Attorney - if they caught someone and are trying to decide whether to press charges. THEN, you or your friend can contact the officers or Sheriff and find out what's been done. You will have to hound them maybe, but you and every victim of a crime deserves to be informed. And if they won't answer, then report back here and let it affect the outcome of November's election if need be! PCSO needs a better public information system. It shouldn't be like pulling teeth. I believe the current sheriff dissuades dissemination - he CAN do that, but he CANNOT prevent it. Know what I mean? So there, my neighbor, go forth and be an active citizen. And report back here:)

I dont understand your comment at all...Theres NO solution here.What does getting a police report have to do with anything?

You said you you had a neighbor who was robbed? I'm assuming no one was caught or charged by the way you wrote, "everyone has turned their heads". Sounded like you wanted an answer to that specific question. I think you just want to be argumentative and vent. If that's the case, then you are part of the problem, and not the solution at all.

Ok folks we have another Neighbor hood watch meetihng scheduled for October 15th from 630pm til 8pm at VFW. On corner of Beltress and Douglas. Sheriff Dept and City has been invited. Sheriff Dept will be there.

We have dissolved the Neighbor hood watch. We no longer feel safe trying to help. Good luck south side you are on your own. Not worth me being afraid to come out of my home or being attacked and no one arrested yet 15 people witnessed attack and wanted to make statements they were ignored.

Told no crime even though fell under Florida Statue 843.20, Because I stated I was not intimidated, because I knew So would protect me. WRONG>> NO arrest told it was a free country. Attacker covered under First amendment. I was not Intimidated because I had 15 witnesses and was assured in October and in July Sheriff Department would protect me. NOPE.

You were attacked? Physically? With a weapon? Or verbally? Was the attacker identified? More details if you care to share. And sorry this happened.

Verbally and yes all witnesses and SO know him.

I yelled back to get witnesses attent. SO said I should have ran and not yelled back

The State Attorney's office is responsible for prosecuting criminals. And ALL laws on the books are simply not enforced, for reasons we don't know, and that I believe are mostly at the discretion of the sheriff. This is in LARGE part where the problems lie. People need to make the connection that it is simply not "law enforcement" not doing its job. When arrests are made, they are often out on bail before the officer has finished his paperwork. Take a look at some of the "arrestees" on the Pinellas County Public Records site. Jails are overcrowded and criminals don't fear a month or two in county jail. Law enforcement gets all the complaints though, and Bernie McCabe and his office continue to not find better solutions and work harder at solving the growing criminal element in this county.