Warning: Think twice before attacking

Since January of 2005, about 400 Brentwood women haven't gotten mad. They've gotten RAD.

The Brentwood Police Department offers free Rape Aggression Defense classes several times a year. The most recent class graduated Thursday night.

BrentWord intern Shanna McHenry took the class to write a first-person story on the RAD program. But even if she wasn't "working" it, as a college student, she was a great candidate. In fact, several mom and college-age daughter teams took this most-recent class together.

On Thursday, they put together all the tips, moves and defensive actions they had learned earlier in the week. Good thing their would-be attackers, aka Brentwood Police Officer Mark Wood and RAD volunteer Jeff Knutson, were well protected though they looked like red Michelin men. These ladies didn't hold back.

I won't steal any more of Shanna's thunder, so look for her story, video and a slide show when Brentwood Home Page launches in coming weeks.

And if you're a lady, age 14 or older, give serious thought to signing up in the future. I know I am!

Good news: Crime light this week

After a series of recent residential burglaries and vandalism reports, this week's Brentwood crime report only lists one residential attempted burglarly and luckily for the Plantation Drive resident, nothing was taken.
In fact, the entire report, released this afternoon by Capt. Jeff Hughes, was light -- which is good news to report.
In general thefts, a GPS device and two flash drives were taken Monday from a room at the Residence Inn in Maryland Farms but the property was returned. A couple are suspected of shoplifting Coca-Colas from the Moore's Lane Mapco on Monday; and a utility trailer was taken from a Maryland Farms business on Harpeth Drive between Monday and Tuesday.
Two incidences of vandalism were investigated. The first involved a spray-painted stop sign on Gracelawn Drive in Hillview Estates; the second was a keyed vehicle on Heritage Drive in Brent Meade sometime on Wednesday.
A driver's side window was broken and a laptop, satellite radio and GPS were taken from a car in the Synergy Complex off Franklin Road on Thursday.
If you have information on any of these crimes, please contact the Brentwood Police Department at 371-0160.

Next RAD course starts Aug. 3
Have a friend or daughter headed off to college next month? Consider signing her and her friends up for the Brentwood Police Department's next Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) class which begins in early August.
The three-night, nine-hour course is free for women ages 13 and over. It runs 6-9 p.m. Aug. 3-6 at Safety Center East, 1300 Sunset Road (just across from the Governor's Club).
To register or for further information, call Officer Mark Wood at 615-371-2267 or e-mail woodm@brentwood-tn.org

Election Day dawns; Mother's Day not far behind

It’s finally here! Brentwood Election Day 2009.
If you haven’t voted and are registered, please help mold the city’s future by taking advantage of your right to help select those who govern you. Remember that this is not a partisan race and whoever is elected represents the city, the entire city. We are blessed with a fine group of candidates, incumbents and newcomers to the political process alike.
The polls, located throughout the city, are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Check this spot throughout the day for updates and news from around the city. And if you see or hear something interesting or funny or otherwise newsworthy, please comment and share.

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Last week’s post about Brentwood’s role in the Wooded Rapist arrest and subsequent first Davidson County conviction included information about the city’s Rape Aggression Defense class for women.
Brentwood Police Department’s Community Resource Officer Mark Wood has let me know that the next RAD class will begin Monday, June 1, and run through Thursday, June 4, from 6-9 p.m. It will be held at the Brentwood Safety Center East, 1300 Sunset Road, which gives east Brentwood residents a chance to participate without having to come all the way into the city’s Maryland Farms Municipal Building.
Former Williamson A.M. columnist Jill Burgin commented on the previous post that she took the class about two years ago “and I would recommend it to every female I know.
“There was a mom taking the class with her teenage daughter because she said she wanted her daughter to be prepared for any situation she might encounter in college and beyond. I cannot say enough good things about the Brentwood officers who led our class.”
Sounds like a great Mother’s Day present to me – registering Mom and daughter(s) age 13 and over to take the class together.
For more information, call Officer Wood at 371-2267 or email him at woodm@brentwood-tn.org.

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The news about Brentwood’s Planning and Codes Director Joe Lassus’ post-surgery progress continues to be uplifting.
He got to go home Sunday – two days after his operation to remove a brain tumor. While he still has trouble with his speech, City Manager Mike Walker reported Monday, “the pressure in his brain has been relieved and he has improved control over use of his right hand for eating and writing. The stitches will be removed on Friday. They will not know if the tumor is malignant for 10 days (from this past Friday).”
“Ironically, Joe broke a tooth Sunday at the hospital. When he arrived home, (his wife) Naomi called his dentist, Dr. Gilliam who allowed Joe to come to the office on Sunday night where he did the needed repair. Wow – I am impressed,” Mike writes. “Needless to say, we live in a great, caring community!”