Keep an eye out to help fight crime

It’s a little discouraging to see the latest Honolulu Police Department statistics showing an uptick in crime rates on Oahu, especially after watching the numbers go down in recent years.

The 36,421 reported crimes in 2009 — while still below 2007’s 40,342 — is up from 34,953 in 2008. And anyone who’s been the victim of the most common kind of crime on Oahu — property crimes like burglary and larceny — knows how difficult it can be to recover stolen goods and catch the perpetrators.

Since the police can’t be everywhere, the first line of defense is citizens who are vigilant about crimes in their neighborhoods. A good place to start: www.honolulupd.org. Click on the map of your district and find out where and what kinds of crimes have been reported. Then keep an eye out.

Be prepared in case of hurricane

Just in case we needed a reminder that it’s hurricane season, Mother Nature is whipping up Hurricane Celia in the East Pacific Ocean. Maximum sustained winds Monday night were 105 mph, but the storm was not seen as a threat, being some 3,400 miles east-southeast of the Big Island.

Still, it’s a good time to take stock of emergency supplies, being that hurricane season began June 1. Items to keep on hand: canned foods, water, a weather radio, flashlight and batteries. And though the season forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of a below-normal season, a 25 percent chance of a near-normal one and a 5 percent chance of an above-normal season — remember, it takes just one.