CJCA May Meeting and Announcements
The final CJCA meeting of the year will be held at the Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center on Wednesday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. You can also join online via https://meet.google.com/tpr-rbor-kyo/. There are two topics on the agenda. First, a presentation on Plummers Island. Plummers Island is a 12-acre Potomac River island visible from the American Legion Bridge. Second, we will hold elections for the CJCA for the 2025-2026 program year. If you are interested in a position, feel free to reach out to any CJCA officer or cjcapresidents@gmail.com.
CJCA Treasurer Position Open
Are you seeking to engage with our community in a much-needed and rewarding way? Can you spend a couple hours a week managing the funds associated with the CJCA? Have you ever written a check? If you answered “yes” to any of the above then you have the skills to become the next CJCA treasurer! Bob Walsh, who has capably and responsively managed our financial operations, will be stepping down this summer. Watch for an article next month on Bob’s contributions to Cabin John. Please email cjcapresidents@gmail.com if you are interested in the position. Many thanks from your CJCA board.
The Village News Layout Editor Needed
Do you want to contribute to the community? Get to know your neighbors? Volunteer with an awesome group of people? The Village News is seeking a new layout designer. We are seeking an amateur or professional to help lay out content and advertising for our monthly issues. The commitment is approximately 15 hours per month and we can provide some training.
Please contact interim layout designer Heidi Lewis, heidibrownlewis@gmail.com, to ask questions, offer ideas, or maybe do a “ride-along” for an issue to see if you’d like to step up and help out.
April CJCA Meeting: Officer Johnson Shares Public Safety Update
The April CJCA Meeting was held on Wednesday, April 28 at the Clara Barton Neighborhood Recreation Center. The meeting began with the review and approval of the March meeting minutes. The March meeting featured Montgomery County Board of Education Member Julie Yang, representing the Walt Whitman catchment area (District 3).
The balance of the April meeting focused on public safety in Cabin John and surrounding areas and featured Desmond Johnson, Community Services Officer for the Montgomery County Police Department. After completing the police academy, Officer Johnson was assigned to the 4th District (Wheaton). Officer Johnson served as a patrol officer for three years until 2013, when he transferred to the Recruitment/Backgrounds Section. He served as a recruiter from 2013-18 and later transferred to the 3rd District (Silver Spring) where he spent 2018-20 as a patrol officer. After the pandemic, Officer Johnson transferred to the 2nd District (Bethesda) in December 2022, to take on his current role of community services officer.
During the CJCA meeting Officer Johnson provided updates on crime in our area and best practices to avoid becoming a victim:
- Crime Reporting & Data Access–Data Montgomery is a public tool providing crime reports by geographic area. Local crime data can be filtered by zip code or police beat. Go to https://data.montgomerycountymd.gov/ and click on “Public Safety” to access it.
- The most common crimes in the area are theft from autos (often due to unlocked doors and visible valuables), and fraud scams which include the grandparent scam (your grandchild is in trouble somehow/somewhere and needs money), romance scams, technical support scams, and banking scams. In general, scams begin with a phone call or other outreach with an attempt to engage using one of the approaches above.
- Crime Prevention Tips–Always lock car and home doors; remove valuables from vehicles; use alarm systems (including on upper floors), surveillance cameras and motion lights; test old alarm systems to ensure they still function correctly; be cautious of unsolicited phone calls requesting personal or financial info; form active neighborhood watch groups or listservs; and notify a neighbor if you’re going on vacation so they will collect mail and turn on/off various lighting.
- Police Staffing Challenges–The Bethesda District covers approximately 56.2 square miles and is covered by 8-9 officers per shift. Ideal staffing would be approximately 15 officers per shift. Fewer applicants are joining law enforcement despite budget and hiring bonuses, and recruitment and attrition remain major challenges.
- Juvenile Crime & Legal Limitations–Many auto-related crimes are committed by juveniles from outside the area. This is driven, in part, by new laws which limit police authority to question minors without a guardian, complicating enforcement.
- Technology & Surveillance–MoCoConnect: Residents can register their home security cameras (Ring, SimpliSafe, etc.) with this police initiative to aid investigations. A Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and drone program help monitor incidents and guide officer response.
- Drug Use–Overdoses and drug-related incidents have declined in recent years. Police conduct outreach (e.g., school presentations) about substance abuse, especially during prom season.
- Check Fraud via USPS–Reports of checks being stolen and altered (“check washing”) have significantly increased. In some cases, postal workers have been involved. Report such fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspector and local police, and consider using online payment services.
- Traffic & Cyclist Law Enforcement–As Cabin John is a major destination and thruway for bicyclists, Officer Johnson reminds us that bicyclists must obey stop signs and also noted that bicyclists/groups of bicyclists are legally entitled to take up a full lane just like a car. The CJCA is aware that friction between cyclists and drivers remains a neighborhood concern.
- In addition to 911, two other important phone numbers to know are the Montgomery County Police NON-emergency number (301) 279-8000, and Officer Johnson’s direct line, which is (240) 773-3672.