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Practices
for Neighborhood Safety
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Chicago,
IL: Created the Troubled Buildings Initiative which targets
properties from going beyond repair, often leading to abandonment.
Different City departments, along with many supporting organizations, pinpoint the owners of these properties through the assessment of fines.
"Lenders and mortgage holders are also brought into the process to help address
the city's concerns about vacant and abandoned buildings."
Humbolt,
TN: Through code enforcement, excavated a number of dwellings, buildings,
mobile homes, outbuildings, and garages. Also a number of cars,
vans/SUVs, and pick-up trucks were
removed.
New
York City, NY: Created the Third Party Transfer
Initiative in which the City of New York, along with Neighborhood
Restore (comprised of members from leading financial institutions, CDCs,
and different mediators) find responsible landlords for distressed properties,
speed up the transfer of ownership of these properties, and ensure development assistance from the
City.
Providence,
RI: Because abandoned cars were a major problem, and there was no
easy way to report the problem, the Providence Police Department created a nuisance complaint
form. Residents complete these form and give them
directly to the Weed and Seed coordinator who is responsible for contacting the
agency charged with taking care of the abandoned
vehicle.
Boston,
MA: An intervention strategy program to help families support
at-risk youth was created through Operation Home Front. Through this
strategy, a police officer and a community leader (i.e. block watch captain or a
clergy member) go to the home of youth whose conduct shows warning signs of
gang involvement and speak with the families.
Burlington,
VT: The Public Safety Project along with Club Youth Speak-Out, a
local youth initiative, held a pizza and "What I Hate About My Neighborhood
Party". The response was outstanding. Every other Friday night ten
to fifteen junior high and high school students come together to try to change
things they dislike about the neighborhood.
Eugene,
OR: Initiated Safe Havens, which include 49
different programs and 11 different sites, such as Bethel public schools, the
Bethel Branch Library, the Peterson Barn Community Center, and the Red
Cross. The programs include literary pursuit programs, art programs, and a
teen club, which is the most popular. The Cascade Truancy Prevention
Project targets attendance problems in local schools. This project
involves home visits, homework help, and whatever special services that might be
needed. The Willamette Youth Interns Program provides high school
students with job experience through internships in Weed and Seed affiliated
programs.
Humbolt,
TN: School drop-out rates decreased as a result of the
availability of additional
assistance in a "safe haven". In a safe haven, two certified teachers provide
additional assistance to students who need help with their school work.
Other services offered include computer training, health information, and
recreational activities. One of the most successful programs is called
Challenges and Choices, which is a youth violence prevention
program. Police officers use different strategies to teach third, fifth,
and seventh graders about violence prevention.
Philadelphia,
PA: Adult Volunteers (55 and older) were paired with youth, ages
10-13, to create a bonding relationship. The program uses community
service activities, provides life skills curriculum, and offers parent training
workshops. The older mentors help the youth overcome obstacles that they
might encounter such as drugs or violence.
Phoenix,
AZ: Since gangs and drugs are a major concern, neighborhood
officials and police officers target youth with the goal of educating them
about the dangers of gangs and drugs. 3rd and 4th graders participate in
GREAT, or the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program. 5th and 6th
graders participate in DARE, or the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education
Program. Also, the Alwun House Foundation's Garfield Youth and Leadership
Group provides a prevention through the arts program and sponsors marches
against crime, drugs, and violence.
Richmond, KY:
Targeting high school freshman, interventions included conflict resolution
training, formation of a Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD)
club. All
students referred for behavioral problems were subject to Violence Prevention
Curriculum. Teachers were subject to professional development sessions on the
topic of "good student/teacher relationships". School security
assessments/crisis response drills and a committee who monitors violent
incidents were put into place.
Tempe, AZ: Created
a number of programs, one being Chicanos por la Causa which includes home
visits, a daily police presence on the school campus, after school activities designed
to boost self-esteem, and special community event (e.g. a Cinco de Mayo festival
which allowed officers from that neighborhood's beat to meet community members).
Trenton, NJ:
Started the SCOOP program (Social Celebrations Opportunities Organizations
People) which offers youth, ages 7-18, more than 100 activities after school and
on Saturdays. The program was started when city leaders decided that
children should not be held back from participating in activities because of
lack of money, transportation, or location. More than 700 children
participate, and 3000 are registered with the program.
London,
England: A study showed that there was a noticeable reduction in
retail shop burglaries when closed-circuit television was introduced to the
area.
Portland, OR:
A study showed that improving the lighting of a retail district reduces the the
number of burglaries that occur since burglars are more likely to target less
lit areas for fear of being seen. Also, improving lighting provides the most benefit without unnecessary cost.
Roseville, MN:
Home to two of the state's largest shopping malls, shoplifting was a major
issue. The Roseville Police Department teaches shoplifting prevention
courses to owners and employees of retail establishments. They include what to look for in a
shoplifter, how to act if they notice shoplifting, and how to identify
check and credit card forgery.
Seattle,
WA:
The Southeast Seattle Community Safety Initiative, Seattle Police
Department, and Homesight (a community development corporation) targeted
commercial buildings with high levels of crime. Together, the Southeast
Seattle CSI and the SPD attempted to reduce the crime aspect while Homesight
centered community development projects around these locations. Volunteers
were a huge part of this because it enabled Homesight and the SPD to complete
projects that would have required significant fundraising efforts.
Toledo,
OH: Threatened by loss of business to the suburbs, blight, the
perception of crime, and the demolition of historic buildings, the Lagrange
Development Corporation, neighborhood business owners, local community leaders,
and the Toledo Police Department established the Lagrange Main Street Program to
revitalize the neighborhood's central commercial
street.
(website)
Burlington,
VT: With low levels of pride and a sense of despair felt by
many residents within the community, the BPD, Community and Economic Development
Office, along with nonprofit agencies, neighborhood residents, city staff, the
University of Vermont, and elected officials created the Public Safety
Project. The PSP is staffed by five AmeriCorps*VISTAs (see high crime
rate) who are constantly on the streets making contact with residents,
showing them that something is being done to combat the problem.
Humbolt,
TN: Residents felt safer when police increased their presence
in the community by implementing both bicycle and foot patrols in the targeted
area.
Tempe, AZ:
Residents in the area felt so much anger, suspicion, and fear of retribution
from local drug dealers that they were afraid to report crimes occurring within
their community. Residents felt that they had been abandoned by the police.
The Beat 16 project was then created to combat this problem. Named for
the police beat in which the project was occurring, the Beat 16 project main
purpose was for residents to reclaim their neighborhood. Once the residents
felt comfortable with the police working on the Beat 16 project, information
began pouring in about illegal activities taking place in the neighborhood.
Buffalo,
NY: Through a 46-member steering committee, seven of which
were from law enforcement, residents were able to have a role in developing
policies while maintaining a good working relationship with law enforcement
officials.
Little
Rock, AR: A Citizen's Police Academy was created to include
residents in law enforcement activities and enabled residents to share their
concerns with officers. Through funding from the city, the "Officer Next
Door" program was created. In this program, officers are provided with
money to purchase homes in high-crime neighborhoods. The officers were
required to commit to the residence for a period of five years.
Minneapolis,
MN: The goal of the Franklin Avenue Community Safety Center is to
promote the community and police working together. Located in the
heart of crime-plagued business district, residents and officers work together
to reduce crime, exchange information, address livability issues, and enhance
crime prevention methods.
Phoenix,
AZ: Community-Police communications was key in improving this
problem. Beat officers and plainclothes Neighborhood Enforcement Team
officers participate in monthly meetings where residents address their crime
concerns in the community. Law enforcement officers also participate in
Block Watch and Drug Free Zone programs. The Phoenix Police Department
provides the community with a written report showing the law enforcement
activity in the neighborhood over a month period.
Portland, OR:
Initiated the Shop-With-A-Cop program in which 45 police officers teamed up
with 99 kids to shop at a local Fred Meyer department store. Kids were
given a store gift card, a bag of school supplies, a membership to the Boys
and Girls Club, and a free haircut at a local salon.
Providence,
RI: Providence Police streamlined nuisance complaints by creating
a nuisance complaint form in which residents complete the form and give it
directly to the Weed and Seed coordinator. The Weed and Seed coordinator
contacts the city agency responsible for fixing the problem, whether it be
problem properties, litter, or abandoned vehicles. Removing the red tape
has enabled faster response to the problem. Physical improvements have
repaired residents feelings of distrust towards the police.
Seattle,
WA: Created a professional forum in which invested stakeholders, police,
and residents meet regularly to discuss current issues, review crime reports,
and coordinate work groups. Keeping the same Community Patrol Officers
patrolling the same areas was key. Previously, officers rotated patrols,
making it near impossible for residents to get to know a particular
officer.
St.
Paul, MN: Beat officers and
business owner have come to know each other on a first name basis through the
Summer Patrol Program in which officers talk with business owners on a regular
basis and learn their concerns and tips they might have regarding crime in the
neighborhood. Beat officers have also come to know business owners through
a beat cell phone that the beat officer carries and business owners can call
without having to go through 911 dispatch.
Tacoma,
WA: Relationships between the police and residents being tense and
mistrusting, the only solution was community based crime reduction and
prevention programs. The Drug House Elimination Task Force was formed in
which officers operate out of a substation in the neighborhood (a former drug
house). The success of the DHETF depends on the surveillance that
residents and business owners provide. Also, the DHETF regularly conducts
neighborhood walks noting problem properties, talking with neighbors, and
cleaning up litter along the way.
Tempe, AZ: Residents
in the area felt anger, suspicion, and fear of retribution from local drug
dealers that they were afraid to report crimes occurring within their
community. Residents felt that they had been abandoned by the police and
were extremely reluctant to work with them. The Beat 16 project was then
created to combat this problem. Named for the police beat in which the
project was occurring, the Beat 16 project main purpose was for residents to
reclaim their neighborhood. Once the residents felt comfortable with the
police working on the Beat 16 project, information began pouring in about
illegal activities taking place in the neighborhood.
Toledo,
OH: Created the Steering Committee which is made up of social
service providers, city agencies, faith-based groups, congressional staff,
residents, schools, the Lagrange Development Corporation, and representatives
from city, county, and federal law enforcement and other criminal justice
agencies. The Steering Committee met to address issues between the
community and police. Also, an off-duty officer responds to individual complaints and
works with two entities created by the Weed & Seed/Community Safety
Initiative program. These entities are the Citizens on Patrol and the
Crime Task Force. This collaboration created an atmosphere of safety and
trust within the community.
Seattle, WA: The Southeast Seattle Community Safety Initiative works with the Columbia City Business Association to collect annual dues from the businesses that pay for different projects such as street cleaning, litter, and cleaning up illegal dumping sites.
Albuquerque,
NM: Created the community and prosecutions coordinator
(CPC) in the district attorney's office. The CPC maintains a database
of drug-trafficking cases and notifies neighborhood associations and crime
victims of the upcoming cases from their respective neighborhoods. The
purpose of this is for the neighborhood associations and crime victims to be
present at the hearings. The CPC also works with
neighborhoods in establishing neighborhood associations, then working closely
with them through their crime prevention activities.
Boston,
MA: Gang drug rings being the biggest problem, efforts to
disassemble the gangs were put in place (see gangs).
Eugene,
OR: Public safety forums, including the office of the
district attorney, Eugene Police Department, and the neighborhood associations,
developed a "user-friendly" brochure with tips for residents to deal with
neighborhood drug trafficking.
Humbolt,
TN: Weed and Seed programs have resulted in an improved
coordination between local and federal law enforcement agencies and resulted in
the arrest of 10 local drug dealers.
Little
Rock, AR: Drug houses
were a major problem in Little Rock so the city created a program titled SAFE
(Support, Abatement, Fines, and Enforcement) in which police officers, the
City's Attorney's Office, Fire Inspectors, and Code Enforcement Officers address
problem properties. The SAFE team gradually moves from helping landlords
to taking legal action against problem tenants and owners.
Los
Angeles, CA: The
LAPD detectives, along with the Vice Control Unit, take part in stakeouts
targeting illegal drugs sales.
Minneapolis,
MN: The MPD sent officers into the streets on bicycles, horseback
and foot to patrol the area and make themselves more visible. According
to MPD representatives, officers on these patrols have been one of the most
effective ways of curbing drug dealing. Drug stings are routinely based
out of the Franklin Avenue Community Safety Center, located in the heart of
the crime-ridden business district, rather than having them based out of the
Precinct Center.
Phoenix,
AZ: Monthly meetings, attended by both beat officers and
plainclothes Neighborhood Enforcement Team officers, are held where residents
develop a Top Ten List of suspected drug activity in the neighborhood.
Community stakeholders constantly identified gang-related crime as one of their
major concerns, one of the crimes being drugs. Together, the Phoenix
Police Gang Unit and Drug Enforcement Bureau and the Violent Street Gang Task
Force, have targeted drug activity as well as the identification and closure of
drug houses. Through a federal grant, a fulltime community prosecutor was
employed to target drug houses. 5th and 6th graders participate in DARE
(Drug Awareness and Resistance Education). PPD has also implemented the
Drug Education for Youth Program, or DEFY. Officers recruit 9-12 year olds
and attend a one week summer camp as counselors/mentors. Officers also
participate in Block Watch and Drug Free Zone Programs.
San
Bernadino County, CA: Created a Drug Court based on the Dade County, FL
version is an alternative to jail time. Treatment consists of one-on-one
substance abuse counseling, drug test monitoring, educational/therapy groups,
relapse prevention and Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. After one
year, the person graduates from the program with clean/sober living
skills. Individuals who fail this program my have charges reinstated at
the discretion of the courts.
Tacoma,
WA: Formed the Drug House Elimination Task Force which is
comprised of a group of officers that operate out of a substation (a former drug
house) within the community. The DHETF meets regularly to address problems
and find a solution to drug house activity. This group discusses problem
sites, participates in training, and shares information on best practices from
other communities. By working with the property owners, their tenants and
local community groups, the DHETF provides remedies to the ongoing illegal
activity.
Tempe, AZ:
The Tempe Police Department Selective Enforcement Unit's (SEU) "Sweep 16"
was the primary drug enforcement effort named for the police beat in which the
effort occurred, Beat 16. Sweep 16 was an undercover buy-and-bust operation
that targeted heroin dealing and trafficking, since the area was known as a
place where outsiders could come in to purchase heroin safely. The SEU
worked closely with a detective in the Criminal Investigation Division to identify
known offenders in the area.
Toledo,
OH: When a drug house is brought to community members'
attention, they draft a letter for the owner of the property asking to meet with
a smaller group to discuss problems at the property. At this meeting, the
Weed & Seed Director, police, and the community address their issues, then
offer assistance with eviction. They also train the landlord on proper
screening techniques.
Albuquerque,
NM: Being responsible for a high
degree of drug dealing in the city, gangs posed a major problem. Through
the community and prosecutions coordinator (CPC), the trials and
sentencing of these gang members were monitored. The neighborhood
associations, of where the gang members resided, were contacted to attend the
trials and sentencing.
Boston,
MA: This effort includes enhanced prosecution of serial
offenders, protection for participating witnesses, counseling and intervention
with families of at-risk youth, and the elimination of chronic gang activity
locations. Also, loitering, drug dealing and other threatening behaviors
were reduced by transforming both residential and commercial properties into
valuable space for new home ownership or commercial opportunities. Through
Operation Home Front, a police officer and community leader (i.e. block watch
captain or clergy member) visit the homes of youth whose conduct shows warning
signs of gang involvement to speak with the families. Also, the District
Attorney appropriated fund for a Special Prosecutor to work with police and
community members to go after impact players of the violent gangs. Money
was also set aside for a Victim Witness Advocate who works with the Special
Prosecutor to provide protection for witnesses that participate in the
prosecution.
Los Angeles, CA:
Created the Gang Incident Tracking System (GITS), in which law enforcement
officers report all gang-related incidents, which are then put into a database.
The officers can then keep track of gang activity by where the incidents are
happening most.
New
York City, NY: Victim Services, Inc. has implemented a program that
teaches students, faculty, and family members how to cope with or avoid crime,
including gang violence, which they encounter everyday. The program
includes an anti-violence curriculum (including gang violence) and on-site
counseling and support groups, including peer mediation/conflict resolution
programs.
Phoenix,
AZ: Community stakeholders called upon the
Phoenix Police Gang Unit and Drug Enforcement Bureau along with the Violent
Street Gang Task Force for intensive involvement. They eliminate gang
activity by providing surveillance and arrest of violent gang members and target
repeat offenders for enhanced prosecution. Also, 3rd and 4th graders
participate in GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training
Program).
San Diego, CA: The
San Diego strategy used paid informants to make videotaped drug buys in targeted
neighborhoods, resulting in the eventual arrest of street-level and mid-level
members of the Crips, the Bloods, and another gang. The majority of gang members
arrested pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison.
Wichita,
KS: The Wichita/Sedgewick County Neighborhood Initiative is a
consortium of grassroots community organizations; public agencies, including law
enforcement, city government, and the schools; and interested for-profit and
nonprofit private sector businesses, labor groups, and civic organizations to
reduce gang-related violence. The initiative brings all parties to the
table regularly, including grassroots anti-gang groups, police representatives,
and gang members themselves.
Burlington,
VT: The First Response Team, which was launched in 2001,
promises clean-up within 72 hours, weekly volunteer clean-ups, volunteer
training, youth learning services, adopt a block, mural and other restorative
activities, and community service for prosecuted graffiti vandals. The
First Response team cleaned up over 900 locations in 2004 and operates with a
budget of $37,000.
Caldwell, ID:
Youth and adult volunteers formed a task force to remove graffiti.
It is run by the Idaho Chamber of Commerce in coordination with police and other
local agencies. Equipment is kept at the Chamber's downtown site.
When graffiti is spotted, the task force coordinator is notified. The
coordinator then assigns a group to remove the graffiti. This approach has
been so successful that juvenile court has asked to be able to assign youth to
help out with the task force as their court ordered sentence for non-violent
crimes.
Charleston, SC: Students cleaned up graffiti and other damage
around the school to help make the surrounding neighborhood more attractive.
Kansas
City, KS: Created the Graffiti Task Force, a group of public and
private organizations to address and find a solution to the graffiti
problem. This coalition worked to change ordinances, expand public and
youth education, and coordinated a new abatement effort. Also, a hotline
was created in which residents can call to report graffiti and the Graffiti Task
Force can resolve the problem.
Los
Angeles, CA: Created a "Graffiti Free Zone". The first stage
involves two undercover officers that patrol problem areas on foot and identify
new graffiti. Next, the locations of graffiti are relayed to the Dunbar
Economic Development Corporation, which is under contract by the Department of
Public Works to remove graffiti. This department provides community groups
with trucks and other equipment to remove graffiti. Finally, the
crackdowns on graffiti become more strict. To ensure
the safety of the graffiti removal team, the undercover cops take the
photographs.
San Jose, CA:
Started the Anti-Graffiti Program in 1999 and has reduced graffiti by 95
percent. The San Jose Police Department has made it a priority to arrest
graffiti vandals, install surveillance cameras, and target repeat
offenders. Through the "You Tag You Lose" program, any vandal
caught tagging loses their drivers license for one year, is required to pay fines, and
must clean up the graffiti. Around 2,700 neighborhood volunteers have been
trained and equipped to keep their communities clear of graffiti.
Albuquerque,
NM: The creation of the community and prosecutions
coordinator (CPC) in the district attorney's office, enabled neighborhood
associations we able to work closely with the CPC to attend trials and
sentencing of criminal offenders from their respective neighborhoods. The CPC maintains a database of court cases
and notifies neighborhood associations of upcoming cases in which criminals,
from their neighborhoods, will be going up for trial or sentencing. Also,
the CPC works closely with the neighborhood associations in their crime
prevention activities.
Boston,
MA: Organizers,
leaders, and property owners meet monthly with the Boston Police Department to
identify what action to take about different "hot spots", or problem
properties. Also, gang violence and gang drug rings were the crimes
targeted by community organizers and the Boston Police. (see
gangs).
Burlington,
VT: Created the Public Safety Project to address both actual and
perceived crime. Five Americorps*VISTA volunteers staff the PSP. The
key to the success of the PSP is the presence of the VISTAs on the
streets. They regularly have contact with residents by knocking on doors,
visit with crossing guards and business owners, and spend time in parks and
local stores which gives each VISTA an understanding of the neighborhood.
Also, the Public Safety Forums were created to discuss a course of action for
problems residents are experiencing in their neighborhood. PSP staff
members also train community leaders monthly in areas such as outreach
strategies, flyer and newsletter design, meeting facilitation, conflict
mediation, fire safety, self defense and urban gardening.
Eugene,
OR: The Bethel Public Safety Station opened in
2001. This station was created so that residents would have a place to
report crimes and gather public safety information, which created better overall
police services for the residents. Also, the Bethel Community
Accountability Board was created . This board is a group of residents
who decide sanctions for low and moderate risk offenders who have committed
crimes in the area.
Minneapolis,
MN: The police have made themselves more visible in three
different ways. The MPD moved its base of operations from the Precinct
Center to the Franklin Avenue Community Safety Center, which is located in the
heart of the crime-ridden business district. Also, officers were sent to
the streets on bicycles. Lastly, the different aspects of the Safety
Center have increased informal police activity in the area.
Phoenix,
AZ: A Beat Accountability Program was set up in which the officers
who are on the beat take responsibility for problems-solving in their beat
neighborhood. Beat officer and plainclothes Neighborhood Enforcement Team
officers attend monthly meetings where residents address their concerns ranging
from abandoned vehicles and prostitution to drug houses.
Seattle,
WA: In order to get a better understanding of the crime occurring
in Southeast Seattle, project leaders launched a multi-agency crime tracking
system using GIS technology. The project tracks crime activity and trends
and overlays this crime information with land use, code violation, and property
owner data.
St.
Paul, MN: Started the "Make the Call Campaign" in which officers
and members of the Crime & Safety Committee visited businesses and provided
them with bright cards, to be hung near cash registers, with a list of numbers
and descriptions of when to call the police and what section of the police to
call. The Summer Patrol Program enables officers to visit with business
owners on a regular basis to become informed on the owners' concerns and
suggestions on nuisance activities and crime. A cell phone was provided to
beat officers in which business owners have access to the phone number and are
able to contact the officers without going through 911 emergency dispatch.
An officer participates with the East Side Neighborhood Development Company to
help businesses with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Any
business requesting funds from the ESNDC must past the scrutiny of the committee
and stick with CPTED principles.
Toledo,
OH: An officer on foot patrol walks through the Lagrange
Street Business District heightening police presence without showing that the
city is having problems in that business district. Also, through the Weed
& Seed/Community Safety Initiative program Citizens on Patrol was
created. This entity monitors and reports criminal activity in the
neighborhood. Also through the Weed & Seed/CSI program the Crime Task
Force was created. This task force identified the top ten crime hot spots
in the neighborhood and prioritized them.
Los
Angeles, CA: Monthly beautification projects are funded by the
City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works' Operation Clean Sweep. The
Dunbar Economic Development Corporation, LAPD Newton Division, Operation Clean
Sweep, and the Trinity Community Block Club coordinate these activities which
include litter removal, recycling, and environmental education.
Providence,
RI: The Nuisance Abatement Task Force (see problem
properties) has a variety of jobs that range from dealing with problem
properties to cleaning up garbage and hazardous materials that have been long
neglected, after a property is secured by the Task Force. Also, nuisance
complaint forms were created by the Providence Police Department in which the
resident completes the form and gives it directly to the Weed and Seed
coordinator. The Weed and Seed coordinator is then responsible for
contacting the agency charged with picking up the litter.
Seattle,
WA: The Southeast Seattle Community Safety Initiative works with
the Columbia City Business Association to collect annual dues from the
businesses that pay for different projects such as street cleaning, litter, and
cleaning up illegal dumping sites.
Tacoma,
WA: The Drug House Elimination Task Force, comprised of police
officers who have a substation within the community (a former drug house)
regularly conduct neighborhood walks, the key being pointing out problem
properties, where they clean up litter as they go.
Huntsville,
AL: The Huntsville Housing Authority adopted a trespass resolution
in 1994 after residents complained that non-residents were responsible for drug
dealing, vandalism and violence. Anyone charged with a crime, threatened
violence, damaged housing authority property, or had a confrontation with a
Housing Authority officer while on Huntsville Housing Authority property, will
be banned from the HHA property for a period of one year. Those who
violate this law are subject to as much as 180 days in jail.
Seattle,
WA: Since police efforts to control loitering were not effective
business owners decided to use music to disperse the homeless and area youth
that were loitering around their businesses. Business owners installed
outdoor speakers that played either country or classical music.
Burlington, VT: Noise is a major issue in a section of the city in which many college students reside. As a result, the Neighborhood Walk was initiated, in which police officers, residents, University officials, and Public Safety Project AmeriCorps*VISTA (see high crime rate) members walk the streets between 10p.m. and 1 a.m. to ask parties to quiet down, clean up graffiti, and meet the neighbors.
Little
Rock, AR: Created an undercover police task force to target
professional panhandlers and aggressive beggars. This task force was
formed when citizens complained about beggars becoming aggressive or angry when
denied a handout. The primary target is not homeless panhandlers, it is
the professional panhandlers who have a permanent address in Little Rock.
New
York City, NY: In order to make the subways safer, the New York
Transit Authority banned panhandlers from the subways, resulting in a fifteen
percent decrease in felonies in the subway system.
Boston,
MA: Police gathered information on properties, or hot
spots, that were the root of much drug and gang activity in the city.
They gathered this information from local tenants and neighborhood crime watch
meetings.
Burlington,
VT: Three working groups were organized, each targeting a specific
geographical area. These working groups include a City Code Enforcement
Officer, a Public Safety Project VISTA (see high crime rate) assigned to
the area, the Police Lieutenant assigned to the neighborhood, and the City's
mediation specialist. Problem properties come to each working group's
attention through complaints from neighbors, a recommendation from a VISTA, or
multiple police calls to the same property. The working group then figures
out a response based on the type of problem. In some instances, informal
front lawn meetings are created to mediate conflict between neighbors or
students from the University of Vermont. In other instances a letter is
sent to the landlord explaining the problem his property has had on the effect
of the community. If this does not work, code enforcement officers will
issue fines. In severe cases, the landlord is urged to sell the property
by the Code Enforcement Office.
Little
Rock, AR: Created a program titled SAFE (Support, Abatement,
Fines, and Enforcement) in which police officers, the City's Attorney's Office,
Fire Inspectors, and Code Enforcement Officers address problem properties.
The SAFE team gradually moves from helping landlords to taking legal action
against problem tenants and owners. As long as the landlord is willing to
comply, the team will do all within their power to help, whether it be emergency
repair grants, dumpster funds for demolition projects, or funds for facade
improvement of rental properties. Also, one officer, a SAFE team member,
teaches classes for landlords and residents about state and local housing
regulations.
Phoenix,
AZ: Through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, a
fulltime community prosecutor was employed to address slum properties. A
code inspector aggressively goes after blighted rental properties with the goal
of bringing them into compliance with the neighborhood.
Providence,
RI: Olneyville Weed
and Seed works with the city's multi-agency Nuisance Abatement Task Force to
attack problem properties. This task force is headed by the Rhode Island
Attorney General's Office and includes Providence Police and Fire Departments,
Code Enforcement, Public Works, Building Inspections and Standards, and Weed and
Seed. Owners of nuisance properties who fail to comply with the Task
Force's standards may be forced to forfeit their property, which can then be
turned over to a non-profit organization at an affordable cost. The Task
Force also works with landlords to take a more active role in maintaining their
properties, and for apartments, the owners learn to screen new tenants in a more
effective way.
Seattle,
WA: The Southeast Seattle Community Safety Initiative, Seattle
Police Department, and Homesight (a community development corporation) targeted
commercial buildings with high levels of crime. Together, the Southeast
Seattle CSI and the SPD attempted to reduce the crime aspect while Homesight
centered community development projects around these locations. Volunteers
were a huge part of this because it enabled Homesight and the SPD to complete
projects that would have required significant fundraising efforts.
Tacoma,
WA: The Drug House Elimination Task Force, comprised of Tacoma
Police officers that work out of a substation within the community (a former
drug house). The primary target of the DHETF is problem properties.
They conduct code enforcement inspections and work with the owners to solve the
problems. Also, the solve reoccurring illegal activity by communicating
with property owners, their tenants, local community groups, and
neighbors.
Grand
Rapids, MI: Several programs have resulted from the Prostitution Round
Table (PRT), a committee charged with finding solutions to prostitution.
One of the programs that have resulted include The Open
Door Program which provides safe refuge for women from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. and is
staffed by women recovering from many of the same issues as women coming off the
street. Another program, the Social Work and Police Partnership (SWAPP),
is a partnership between Grand Valley State University’s School of Social Work
and the Grand Rapids Police Department. In this innovative program, social
workers ride along with community police providing direct assistance for
prostituted women, as well as assistance in court, jail and elsewhere. The
final program, Start Treatment of Prostitutes (STOP), is a day treatment program
spearheaded by Cindy Sikkema, probation officer for the 61st District Court.
Los
Angeles, CA: The LAPD detectives, along with the Vice Control
Unit, take part in stakeouts targeting prostitution.
Minneapolis,
MN: Prostitution stings are routinely based out of the Franklin
Avenue Community Safety Center, located in the heart of the crime-ridden
business district, rather than having them based out of the Precinct
Center. Also, having officers on bicycle patrol, horseback, and foot
patrol, according to MPD representatives, has had a substantial impact on the
curbing of prostitution.
Phoenix,
AZ: Through a federal grant, a fulltime community prosecutor was
employed to target prostitution. A neighborhood impact letter was created
to educate judges about the negative impacts of prostitution in the
neighborhood. Neighborhood residents are present at sentencing hearings
and have requested that the prostitutes be given travel restrictions,
prohibiting them from entering the neighborhood during that period.
Tacoma, WA: The chronic public inebriant, or CPI, has added to the criminal activity and deterioration of the area. An Alcohol Impact Area (merchants within this established area were prohibited from selling certain types of alcohol during certain hours) was established with the help of the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
Providence, RI: Properties where criminal activity is a chronic problem, the Nuisance Abatement Task Force (see problem properties) urges property owners to complete "No Trespassing" forms that allow police to arrest any person not authorized to be on the property.
Lehigh
County, PA: The Pennsylvania School-Based Probation Program is a
supervision model in which the juvenile probation officer works directly in the
school rather than the traditional courthouse environment. This model allows the
probation officer to contact clients more frequently, observe client
interactions with peers in a social setting, and actively enforce conditions of
probation such as school attendance.
Phoenix,
AZ: Created a program in which school personnel monitor school
attendance and notify parents if their child has more than 3 unexcused
absences. The parents must respond outlining measures they have taken to
make sure their child is attending school. If the child continues to miss
school, the school notifies the prosecutor or police department to ask that
criminal charges be filed against the parents. The prosecutor can offer a
deferred prosecution diversion program, instead of criminal charges.
Toledo,
OH: Funding is provided, through the Weed & Seed grant, for
local officers to work exclusively on truancy. These officers receive
daily attendance sheets from the Board of education in which they look over,
driver through neighborhoods, and go to the homes of truant students. The
truant students are then transported to the Truancy Center where they receive
intensive intervention from Parents Helping Parents and Social Outreach Workers
before going back to school.
Los Angeles, CA: Being one of the initial public concerns, The LAPD Newton Division increased the number of patrols on Central Avenue, where most of the problems occurred, both before and after school.
Los
Angeles, CA: The LAPD detectives, along with the Vice Control
Unit, take part in stakeouts targeting vandalism (also see graffiti).
Burlington,
VT: Unsupervised youth caused problems throughout the neighborhoods
of Burlington. Youth vandalism was a major problem. After approaching
the parents and a street resource day was created, lining the streets with recreation.
Both were met with minimal success, so the Public Safety Project, working
together with Club Youth Speak-Out (a local youth initiative), held a pizza
and "What I Hate About My Neighborhood" party. The response to the teenage
participants was outstanding
Cleveland
Neighborhood Development Coalition
3751 Prospect Avenue, Third
Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone (216) 928-8100
Fax (216)
928-8105
Send mail to info@cndc2.org
Copyright 2005 Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition
