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Neighborhood Watch ProgramMasterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Neighborhood Watch DATE: December 16, 2010 The Police Department is conducting research and testing the willingness of neighborhoods to be actively engaged in a Neighborhood Watch Program and is expecting to have this research completed by the summer of 2011. MCVM:Iw Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Mark Dalsing, Chief of Police Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director Phyllis Russell, Management Intern Safe Community Task Force ,-,,____ Mic ael C. Van Milligen Dubuque htill AN-Anoka City 1 tr 2007 Chief of Police Mark Dalsing has provided information on the process being used to further explore the Safe Community Task Force recommendation to develop a Neighborhood Watch Program. The Police Department Community Policing philosophy and implementation of the Territorial Accountability Design are consistent with the principles of citizen involvement in crime prevention. THE CITY OF DUB Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen City Manager FR: Mark M. Dalsing Chief of Police RE: Neighborhood Watch INTRODUCTION This memorandum will detail the Dubuque Police Department's plan on developing a neighborhood watch program. BACKGROUND E MEMORANDUM DUBUQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT /NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH HISTORY December 8, 2010 On July 19, 2010 the Safe Community Task Force submitted the second set of recommendations to the Dubuque City Council. The Neighborhood Engagement and Social Capital subcommittee recommended, "Develop a Neighborhood Watch Program," as part of the recommendations. Since then the Dubuque Police Department has been examining the implementation of such a program. First we must recognize that National Neighborhood Watch is a registered, trademarked organization with explicit rules and regulations on operations and procedures. For the purposes of this memo, I will be referring to both the official National Neighborhood Watch as well as neighborhood watch in the generic sense of the term. The Dubuque Police Department was formerly associated with the official Neighborhood Watch program in the late 70's and early 80's before changes in department needs and decreased citizen involvement rendered the program inactive. Chief John Mauss (ret.) resurrected the program after he was appointed Chief of Police in 1985. The program experienced initial success but again citizen participation slowed and the program was defunct by the early 90's. Corporal Terry Driscoll (ret.) was the Crime Prevention Officer during the department's last association with the formal Neighborhood Watch program and was recently contacted regarding the success and eventual end of the program. Driscoll advised that the program was launched in target neighborhoods and eventually became active in as many as 30+ neighborhoods throughout the City. Neighborhood burglaries were a driving force for many neighborhoods becoming active. Driscoll advised that part of the downfall of the program was keeping citizens interested and engaged. By the requirements of the program, regular meetings and reports to the Police Department were needed and theses slowed and eventually stopped. Other contributing factors to the program's demise included: "Block Captains" and other active citizens moved from the neighborhoods; citizens being unable to devote the necessary time to the program; decreases in the crime or other activity that prompted the creation of a Watch area; Toss of citizen interest. Driscoll noted that many neighborhoods went through the initial training to get the official signs posted in their neighborhoods and then active participation decreased almost immediately. Beginning in 1995, the Dubuque Police Department started a Community Oriented Policing unit. This unit took on many of the roles and assignments that formerly were channeled through the Neighborhood Watch program. The COP officers serve as direct departmental contacts for neighborhood associations, landlords and other concerned citizens. The Department's use of Territory Accountability Design (TAD) has also created another conduit for citizen - police contact as well as specific department supervisor oversight and review of neighborhoods. The Department has to some degree always maintained an unofficial neighborhood watch program. Some of the City of Dubuque's other contributions include the annual multidepartment led Crime -Free Multi- Housing training seminar, having a Neighborhood Development Specialist, expanded Park & Recreation programming, the Washington Neighborhood revitalization, the Multi- Cultural Family Center and dozens of other programs and resources, which have all played important roles in fostering neighborhood watch ideologies that are prevalent today. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION The first step in the potential re- implementation of the program is to assess citizen interest. Beginning in January 2011, Dubuque Police Department personnel will start exploring and attempting to gauge community interest. This assessment will begin with already active neighborhood associations. Department representatives will present associations with information on what is required to develop and maintain a successful program and then assess the level of interest. During this time we will also utilize our media outlets to encourage interested neighborhoods to contact the Department to arrange a presentation. Again we will determine interest levels, verify citizen commitment with regard to attending training completing reporting and all other requirements as prescribed by the program. By the spring of 2011 we should have a general idea of the community's interest in a neighborhood watch program. If there is sufficient interest and commitment is evident, we will then determine whether to align with the official National Neighborhood Watch program or develop our own. One benefit of the official program is the amount of , available resources ranging from training materials to signs. A potential drawback to the official program is the previously mentioned prescribed steps and requirements needed to maintain a watch area and the subsequent failure of the program if the citizens do not commit for the long term. A second option is to develop our own program. The greatest benefit would be our ability to cater the entire program specifically to Dubuque's history, current trends and needs. One of the most significant drawbacks is that we wouldn't have the training materials and signs available through the national program, thus creating a need to develop and manufacture our own. By the summer of 2011, if we have verified there is sufficient interest to resurrect this program, we will have either created our own program or subscribed to the national program; and begin the recruitment, training, and meeting needs in the neighborhoods. USE OF TECHNOLOGY The vast amount and availability of current technology might offer us several options as well. The Internet's has connected millions of homes and the Department could have a valuable tool at its disposal. Through the City's website, a separate website developed for neighborhood watch, or through the use of already established private websites, connecting with neighbors and citizens is just a few key strokes away. There are already some websites established that allow groups to organize and communicate through the sites. A more in depth review of these sites and what other cities are doing will be part of the review process. Social media will also be part of the review process. Programs like My Space, Twitter and Facebook are used by millions of people each day. The department will explore how these and similar programs could be used effectively for neighborhood communication. COSTS Until we have an accurate assessment as to the level of interest within the community, it is very difficult to do a detailed cost analysis. If we subscribe to the national program, there are "starter kits" available which contain a bare minimum of supplies. Some copying and other supplies could be done internally to minimize costs but some supplies will inevitably need to come directly from the official program. Depending on the size of the neighborhood and number of participating residents, initial estimates would be $200 to $300 per program area. If we develop our own program, all training materials and supplies would be created and funded internally. City staff is able to create signage at a cost of approximately $25 each. A conservative estimate for a new watch area would be $100 to $200 each. Given the nature of neighborhood watch programs, the Department's Crime Prevention Officer and the Community Policing unit will play active roles in developing and implementing the program. These officers would be active in the program during their normal duty hours or through adjustments in work hours for specific program related events. I also anticipate the need for additional staff assistance on occasion, depending on the number and size of watch areas. Any additional staffing needs would initially be funded through existing departmental funds. ENGAGEMENT Citizen involvement has been and will continue to be the deciding factor as to the success of a program. While many programs start out successfully, they often see a decline through citizen apathy or complacency. It will be an ongoing challenge for the Department to keep the citizens engaged and involved. As we develop the program we will explore options to promote and maintain citizen involvement. Some options include recognition and reward systems where individual watch areas are recognized for their efforts. Examples could include recognition for 100% membership in a neighborhood; Most Active Neighborhood (meetings and training); or a variety of other possibilities, many of which the citizens could help create. We could even create challenges between the watch areas. Rewards and recognition could range from formal plaques or awards, media releases, City Council recognition, or even City sponsored block parties. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION The Dubuque Police Department recognizes the importance of citizen involvement in our ongoing crime prevention and response efforts. As part of the Safe Community Task Force's recommendation and our ongoing efforts to promote community- oriented policing & crime prevention, we will follow the aforementioned plan in potentially re- implementing the neighborhood watch program. We believe this program to be quite effective when properly implemented and maintained, and acknowledge its benefits within community oriented policing and crime prevention programs. ACTION REQUESTED This is an informational memo only. No further action is requested.