Teacher by Day Fights Crime After Dark

When closing bell rings at school, Michele Doubet does not stop teaching. Instead, she dons a dark outfit and heads to the rooftops to give criminals a lesson about the price of crime.

But Doubet is no super-hero in a cape, punching out bad guys. She delivers her knockout blows by spying on drug dealers and taggers with binoculars and radios, helping police make arrests as part of the Los Angeles Police Department Devonshire Division’s Volunteer Surveillance Team.

The team--which police say is part of their efforts at community-based law enforcement--is unusual in that ordinary citizens are used as the eyes and ears of sworn officers. The group was honored during a ceremony Friday by the Los Angeles City Council.

“If you want to do something to make the city safer, to make it a better place to live, let these people be your inspiration,” Councilman Hal Bernson said.

The group, founded in March, 1992, has 56 members. Participants stake out positions on rooftops and vacant apartments in Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge and North Hills. Each time a crime is spotted, police from the Devonshire Division are radioed and quickly respond. Surveillance team members do not confront criminals.

The result, said Lt. Kyle Jackson of Devonshire Division, has been 80 arrests, including taggers, drug dealers, and car thieves.

“We’ve been contacted by more than 100 police departments across America wanting copies of our operating manual,” said Jackson, who trained the team. “They want to start similar projects.”

The recognition and emulation brings vindication to the tireless efforts of the group’s members, many of whom are like Doubet and have day jobs.

“Everybody should get involved. It’s the only way we’re going to stop the increase in crime,” said Fred Rennwald, 51, a team member from Granada Hills. “Sitting in your Barcalounger watching television isn’t going to do it.”

In addition to the City Council, the lesson on community involvement in crime was also made clear to Doubet’s students. The fourth- and fifth-graders from Vanalden Avenue Elementary School in Van Nuys came down for the ceremony as part of a field trip.

“She makes the streets safer,” said Roberto Castillo, 10, a fifth-grader. “I think its good because the criminals can’t do bad things.”

All the praise brought a smile to Doubet’s lips. But as she accepted her award, a small part of her anxiously yearned to be on a rooftop with a radio in her hand

“It’s always exciting to get a criminal off the streets,” she said.