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Cape Coral police officers rally to help resident

By Staff | Jan 26, 2013

The Cape Coral Police Department is lending a hand on Saturday to help a homeowner cover up graffiti that was painted on his fence two months ago.

On Nov. 23, officers responded to a criminal mischief report at a home, at 1605 N.E. Sixth Terrace. Hernan Figueroa reported that an unknown person spray-painted graffiti down the entire length of the west side of his fence.

He estimated the cost to prime and repaint at approximately $300.

On Thursday, Cape police officials reported that members of the District Resource Unit will be at the home on Saturday to help repaint the fence.

“The family reached out to the police department for assistance, and the District Resource Unit – a community policing unit – has stepped up to assist,” Lt. Tony Sizemore, a spokesman for the police department, said.

He explained that the community project “grew organically.”

“It just evolved when the officers who took the report realized that there was a need,” Sizemore said.

A four-person unit, the District Resource Unit was created in 1994.

“They handle a lot of different functions,” he said.

Once known as neighborhood resource officers, they help resolve conflicts among neighbors, review building plans and offer changes to deter crime, and conduct community surveys among residences and businesses in the Cape.

Past projects have included safety seminars and toy drives.

“That’s what a police department does,” Sizemore said of the unit. “It’s more than just arrests, it’s more than just putting bad guys in jail.”

“Fostering relationships with the public, that’s a huge part of today’s law enforcement,” he said.

Figueroa could not be reached for comment Thursday.