On a Lake Highlands neighborhood association social media page recently, I saw a discussion I haven’t been able to get out of my head. A commenter wondered if we “have too many Gladys Kravitzes in Lake Highlands.”
Here’s a little background.
One homeowner (I’m not naming names and I hope you won’t either if you choose to comment) shared that his daughter, home from college, had gotten coffee with a friend. The two of them, eager to reconnect during spring break, sat in their car in the parking lot of the neighborhood elementary. Nothing to hide, nothing nefarious – just college girls catching up. I don’t know the man, but I happen to know his daughter. No finer young woman ever graduated from LHHS.
By the time two Dallas Police units arrived, the girl had dropped her friend off and was headed home alone. DPD had received a call, they said, and were required to respond. They quizzed her, ran her plates and checked for warrants. Satisfied that she was innocent, they sent her on her way.
When she arrived home, her dad, a former V.I.P. (Volunteers In Patrol, which support and work with the DPD), first made sure his daughter learned the lesson. “Avoid the hint of impropriety,” he said. “Understand that lots of people do illegal things here.”
But he also pondered the resources expended on the HOA social media page.
“Was the caller likely well intentioned? Yes. Did they see any illegal activity? No. (Again, the police officers, arbiter of things legal and illegal apologized to her.) There were no beer bottles being thrown out, no pot smoked, no loud music, no vandalism. I understand that the DPD says call if you see anything suspicious, but I don’t think simply seeing a car parked in a parking lot passes the test. It’s like a poster a while back said, that car you see driving slowly through our hood may just be somebody’s 16-year-old practicing their driving skills. All I’m asking is that next time, if you don’t actually see any illegal activity, please consider that all you may be witnessing is two teenage girls drinking coffee and talking about life.”
Not all of his neighbors agreed.
“Cars parked at a closed school is suspicious after dark,” said one commenter. “Citizens should not wait until they see illegal activity. That would be imprudent.”
“So much ‘wiggle room’ in this one,” said another. “I see both points of view clearly.”
One woman, who said her significant other is Hispanic, expressed concern about “over-reporting.”
“We have an amazingly low crime rate,” says Kathy Stewart, Executive Director of the Lake Highlands Public Improvement District. “Our V.I.P. won an award from DPD last week for their outstanding work, and we also have dedicated E.N.P. (Expanded Neighborhood Patrol) officers.”
Knowing the girl who was questioned by police, I’m crushed knowing how frightened and/or confused she likely was. I don’t like the idea that local schools are “off limits” to well-meaning citizens. I’ve been to enough school district planning meetings to know that’s not how they are pitched when the funds to build them are requested. On the other hand, lots of folks who are on the grounds of schools on “off hours” are NOT well-meaning citizens. On the other hand, the person who called DPD cannot know – and does not have time to discern – what is going on in that car. On the other hand, if there’s no evidence of a crime, is there a need to take DPD resources away from DPD business? On the other hand, what harm is done by calling? On the other hand, young people sometimes get the message that authority and power is used arbitrarily – ‘what are you doing?, go home!’ – even if they are not causing trouble.
I may need some more time to ponder. And more hands.
