2 28 11 SCTF Work Session_History of Safe Community Task Force
February 24, 2011
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Kelly Larson, Human Rights Director
SUBJECT: History of Safe Community Task Force
The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize the history of the Safe Community
Task Force.
Following an incident of violence which resulted in the death of a community member,
the City Council held a community forum on public safety in September 2009. The
forum was intended to facilitate community dialog on issues regarding public safety.
Over 130 residents attended the event, from all sectors of the community including the
Mayor and City Council, City staff, representatives from neighborhood associations,
landlords, the business community, educational and religious institutions, non-profit
organizations, youth representatives, and the public at-large.
During this forum, participants were asked to identify the top assets they or their
organization may have to help keep our community safe. Attendees were also asked to
identify other organizations or individuals who, while not in attendance, should be
invited to participate in the process. Subsequent to this meeting the City Council formed
a Safe Community Task Force (SCTF). The SCTF was assigned to:
Gather facts on the scope of crime and safety issues in the community;
Identify efforts currently underway to improve and prevent future problems;
Review and analyze how other communities have addressed crime and safety
issues; and,
Recommend goals and objectives for the leadership of Dubuque.
The Mayor and City Council appointed 25 citizens to serve on the newly established
SCTF. The SCTF was assisted by representatives from key City departments including
the City Manager’s Office, Human Rights, Police, and Housing, with additional City staff
serving as a resource. The SCTF met monthly from October 2009 through July 2010.
The members of the Safe Community Task Force include:
Roy Buol Steve Hodge
Claudette Carter-Thomas Pat Kelly
Jonathan Cheatham Jerry Maro
Joyce Connors Michelle Mihalakis
Janice Craddieth Adam Moore
Rachel Daack Terry Mozena
Mark Dalsing Joe Noll
Gabby DeVega Ralph Potter
Rick Dickinson Doug Stillings
Larie Godinez Lynn Sutton
John Gronen Michael Van Milligen
Molly Grover Dirk Voetberg
Mike Hodge
Recognizing that the work of the SCTF was comprehensive in nature, four sub-
committees were also established. The four sub-committees, made up of additional
citizens, included:
Neighborhood Engagement/Social Capital
Enforcement
Management of Physical Environment
Research and Facts
The role of the subcommittees was to help identify issues and develop opportunities or
recommendations for the SCTF. The SCTF considered sub-committee input as part of
the overall implementation strategy in the community.
The SCTF then adopted the following two goals:
1. To identify and act upon things that most effectively reduce crime and that most
effectively reduce the perception of crime; and
2. Recognize people want to feel safe and identify ways to provide that feeling of
safety.
The SCTF forwarded an initial set of recommendations to the City Council in February
2010. The SCTF also recommended the retention of a facilitator to assist in the ongoing
process. Urban Strategies, of St. Louis, Missouri, began facilitation starting in March
2010. In July 2010, the SCTF submitted a second set of recommendations to the City
Council.
In the meantime, a subcommittee of SCTF members worked with City staff to implement
one of the February recommendations, which consisted of a comprehensive study on
crime and poverty in Dubuque. This subgroup solicited requests for proposals,
reviewed the responses received, conducted interviews, and discussed this information
with the full SCTF. The SCTF then recommended selection of Northern Illinois
University Center for Governmental Studies (NIU/CGS) to conduct the study, which the
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City Council approved. From May 2010 through January 2011, NIU/CGS conducted a
massive study on crime and poverty in Dubuque. On January 14, 2011, NIU/CGS
delivered the 779-page final report, which is available at the Carnegie-Stout Public
library and on the City’s website www.cityofdubuque.org. On January 25, 2011,
NIU/CGS presented its findings to the SCTF in a three-hour presentation that was
televised on City Cable Channel 8 and is available for viewing on the City’s website
www.cityofdubuque.org. The SCTF reviewed the report and met on February 5 and
February 8 to formulate a final set of recommendations for the City Council based on
the results of the study.
The SCTF will conclude its work when it presents these final recommendations to the
City Council at a worksession on February 28, 2011. On March 2, 2011, the Safe
Community Committee, which was created based on a recommendation from the SCTF,
will have its first meeting. This committee is tasked with overseeing the implementation
of SCTF recommendations.
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