Charlotte City Council
Community Safety Committee
Meeting Summary for January 26, 2009
COMMITTEE AGENDA TOPICS
I.
Subject:
Community Safety Focus Area Plan
Action:
Committee finalized a version of the Community Safety Focus Area Plan to be
submitted with the retreat materials
Staff Resource: Eric Campbell, Darrellyn Kiser
COMMITTEE INFORMATION
Present: Council members Turner, Peacock, and Dulin
Absent: Council member Kinsey
Time: 4:40 to 5:15 p.m.
ATTACHMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Agenda
Discussion Points
Draft 3a
Draft 4
Community Safety Committee
Meeting Summary for January 26, 2009
Page 2
DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS
I.
Subject:
Community Safety Focus Area Plan
Committee Discussion:
The Committee discussed two drafts of the proposed Community Safety Focus Area Plan
in order to get a final draft to be discussed at the Council retreat.
The Committee discussed whether the narrative should state that crime reduction was a
City or a Police Department goal. The Committee decided to substitute language
suggested by Eric Campbell, which states that the City Council supports CMPD’s
policing strategy.
The Committee looked at two versions of the wording on the policing strategy including
a description of the Response Area Teams. Council member Turner thought the longer
version was useful in explaining the policing strategy to citizens but the
Committee decided to adopt the shorter version.
The Committee decided to include a CMPD goal on increasing the diversity of its
workforce; this goal was in one of the two drafts under consideration.
The Committee decided to broaden a goal on crime reduction on a business corridor to
include all five of the corridors targeted by Economic Development.
The Committee took out the narrative and objectives related to homeland security. The
Committee also described the Fire Department’s role in community safety with the
language preferred by the Fire Department.
Community Safety Committee
Monday, January 26, 2009; 4:30 – 5:00 pm
Room CH-14
Committee Members:
Warren Turner, Chair
Patsy Kinsey, Vice Chair
Andy Dulin
Edwin Peacock
Staff Resource:
Eric D. Campbell
AGENDA
I.
Draft – Focus Area Plan
Staff Resources: Chief Rodney Monroe & Eric Campbell
The Committee will review and discuss the third draft of the Community Safety Focus
Area Plan and make suggestions as to possible changes. The Committee is asked to
forward the draft for review by the City Council at the annual retreat.
Attachment: 1. Discussion Points.doc
Next Scheduled Meeting: February 19, 12:00 pm, Room 280
Distribution:
Mayor/City Council
Stephanie Kelly
Curt Walton, City Manager
Rodney Monroe
Leadership Team
Jon Hannan
Mac McCarley
COMMUNITY SAFETY COMMITTEE FOCUS AREA PLAN DISCUSSION POINTS •
Draft 3(a) and Draft 4 – Second paragraph (First Sentence) The mission of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department…. (Draft 3(a)) or The City of Charlotte’s mission… (Draft 4) Suggestion #1: The City Council support programs and initiatives to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for citizens. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department policing strategy is focused… Suggestion #2: Eliminate first sentence – The City Council supports the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s policing strategy which focuses on crime and disorder at the neighborhood level. •
Draft 3(a) and Draft 4 – Second paragraph Draft 3(a) streamlines language and explanation of the Response Area Teams. Draft 4 provides more details about how the Response Area Teams operate. •
Draft 4 – Third paragraph Draft 3(a) eliminates diversity policy language and Focus Area Initiative #3. The policy language and Focus Area Initiative #3 remains in Draft 4. •
Draft 3(a) – Focus Area Initiative 5 Draft 3(a) adds a new focus area addressing disaster response. Draft 4 does not include this focus area initiative. FY 10/11 FAP draft rev.3a Charlotte Will Be The Safest Large City In America
The City of Charlotte will be the safest large city in America, a community in which
citizens feel safe in the areas where they live, work, and spend their leisure time.
Citizens in a safe community have confidence in their public safety agencies to
proactively identify and address issues related to crime, disorder and personal safety.
The Police and Fire Departments have the most direct impact on public safety. Other city
departments, such as Neighborhood Development, Engineering, Transportation, and
Planning also have a role in creating safe and strong neighborhoods.
The mission of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is to reduce crime and
improve the quality of life for citizens. The department’s policing strategy is focused on
the reduction of crime and disorder in neighborhoods. Police staffing plans promote high
visibility throughout all of the Department’s 39 response areas, which is served by a
Response Area Team. Each Response Area Team, led by a Sergeant, is responsible for
crime reduction in their assigned areas and the engagement of the community as partners
in keeping their neighborhoods safe. Each team develops enforcement strategies specific
to their areas that target both crime and chronic offenders. They work closely with
specialized police units to address criminal issues such as gangs, assaults, drugs, and
firearms.
Collaboration is critical to making Charlotte the safest large city in America. Police
partner with a variety of public and private agencies in a holistic approach to crime and
disorder issues. One key partnership is between Police and Neighborhood Development.
Police work closely with Code Enforcement and Neighborhood Specialists to address
conditions that breed increase criminal activity and implement strategies that ultimately
strengthen and empower neighborhoods. CMPD also partners with other city and county
agencies as well as other members of the Criminal Justice System in an proactive effort
to prevent crime and enhance the quality of life for all citizensbefore it happens.
The Charlotte Fire Department plays a major role in making our community safe from
loss of life and property caused by fire through proactive fire code enforcement,
educational programs for youth and rapid response to working fires. As first responders,
CFD is first on the scene of an accident or other medical emergency to provide
immediate medical attention. The Fire Department also takes the lead in homeland
security preparedness and works with partners around the Charlotte Region to ensure that
emergency personnel have the training, equipment and strategies to respond effectively to
natural or man-made disasters.
1 FY 10/11 FAP draft rev.3a Focus Area Initiatives
Focus Area Initiative 1: Decrease crime throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg through
enforcement and problem solving strategies that target criminal activity and chronic
offenders at the neighborhood level.
Measure: Crime rate per 100,000 population for UCR Uniform Crime Report Part One
offense categories (Homicide, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Auto Theft,
Larceny, and Arson)
Target: 57% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY10
75% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY11
Prior Year Actual: -21.3% during first five months of fiscal year
Focus Area Initiative 2: Enhance citizen safety through increased police visibility and
engagement of citizens as active partners in crime reduction.
Measure: Survey ratings on citizen satisfaction with police service and safety in their
neighborhoods in November 2009 and November 2010
Target: Ratings of 7 or above on a 10 point scale on questions related to police services
and citizen perception of safety
Prior Year Actual: 73% on overall impression of police; 79% on courtesy; 80% on
professionalism; 73% on feeling safe in their neighborhoods
Focus Area Initiative 3: Partner with other city and county agencies as well as other
members of the criminal justice system in enforcement and prevention efforts that reduce
crime and enhance the quality of life in our community.
Measure: Crime reduction in Wilkinson Boulevard on major city corridors through
Police/Neighborhood Development collaboration
Target: 10% reduction in UCR Uniform Crime Report Part One Crimes (hHomicide,
rRape, rRobbery, aAggravated aAssault, bBurglary, vehicleAuto tTheft, lLarceny and
aArson) in FY10
Prior Year Actual: FY08: 2,157 incidents; FY09 (through January 11): 878 incidents
Measure: Reduction in national and international gangs operating in CharlotteMecklenburg
Target: In conjunction with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, identify
and dismantle one gang per year.
2 FY 10/11 FAP draft rev.3a Prior Year Actual: N/A
Focus Area Initiative 4: Reduce loss of life and property damage from fires through
proactive fire code enforcement and rapid response to working fires
Measure: Percent of fire code inspections with an annual state-mandated frequency
conducted each year
Target: 85%
Prior Year Actual: 96.7%
Measure: Percent of alarm first-due responder companies on scene within 6 minutes of
call receipt
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: 79.35%
Measure: Number of fire education programs delivered to CMS third grade classrooms
that are within city limits
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: N/A
Focus Area Initiative 5: Coordinate planning and training that enables the City of
Charlotte to respond rapidly and effectively to natural or man-made disasters.
Measure: Number of community-wide disaster preparedness exercises conducted
annually
Target: 1 per year in FY09 and FY10
Prior Year Actual: 1
Measure: In an actual emergency, time to deliver accurate initial information to affected
citizens through the reverse 911 system
Target: Information communicated to 80% of affected citizens within 30 minutes
Prior Year Actual: N/A (Note that this measure would apply only in case of an actual
emergency during FY10/11)
3 FY10/11 rev. 4 Draft
Charlotte Will Be The Safest Large City in America
The City of Charlotte will be the safest large city in America. A community in which
citizens feel safe in the areas where they live, work, and spend their leisure time.
Citizens in a safe community have confidence in their public safety agencies and partner
with them to proactively identify and address issues related to crime, disorder, and
personal safety. While the Police and Fire Departments have the most direct impact on
public safety, other city departments such as Neighborhood Development, Engineering,
Transportation and Planning have a role in creating safe and strong neighborhoods.
The City of Charlotte’s mission is to reduce crime and improve the quality of life. The
City’s policing strategy is focused upon the reduction of crime and disorder at the
neighborhood level. Police staffing plans promote high visibility throughout all areas of
the city. Each of the city’s 39 police response areas is served by a Response Area Team
headed by a sergeant. The Response Area Teams are accountable for crime reduction in
their assigned areas and engage the community as partners in keeping their
neighborhoods safe. The Response Area Teams develop enforcement strategies that
target both crimes and chronic offenders specific to their areas. Patrol divisions have
added flexibility to deploy officers to areas where emerging crime trends can be most
effectively impacted by an increased police presence. Many police initiatives have the
specific goal of targeting those chronic offenders who have caused citizens in many
neighborhoods to live in fear. Strategies to address the chronic offender issue require the
patrol divisions to work closely with specialized police units to address critical issues
such as gangs, assaults, drugs and firearms at the neighborhood level.
One of the ways that police build public trust and confidence is through a workforce that
is reflective of the community. CMPD is committed to recruiting strategies that result in
a more diverse workforce that is proactive in community engagement and quality
customer service.
Making Charlotte the safest large city in America is a collaborative effort. Police partner
with a variety of public and private agencies to take a holistic approach to crime and
disorder issues. One key partnership is that between Police and Neighborhood
Development. Police work closely with Code Enforcement to address the conditions that
increase criminal activity in the city’s neighborhoods. They also work with
Neighborhood Specialists to implement strategies that ultimately strengthen and
empower our neighborhoods. CMPD also partners with other City and County agencies
as well as other members of the criminal justice system in a proactive effort to prevent
crime before it happens.
Making Charlotte a safe community also requires a focus on strategies to reduce loss of
life and property damage. The Fire Department plays a major role in that process both
through proactive inspections and education programs to prevent fires and injuries and by
rapid response to those fires and medical emergencies that do occur. The Fire
Department also takes the lead in homeland security preparedness and works with Police
and a number of partners to ensure that emergency personnel in Charlotte have the
equipment, training, and strategies to respond effectively to natural or man-made
disasters.
FY10/11 rev. 4 Draft
Focus Area Initiatives
Focus Area Initiative 1: Decrease crime throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg through
proactive and reactive problem solving strategies that target criminal activity and chronic
offenders at the neighborhood level.
Measure: Crime rate per 100,000 population for Part One offense categories
Target: 5% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY10
5% reduction in crime rate per 100,000 population in FY11
Prior Year Actual: -21.3% during first five months of fiscal year
Focus Area Initiative 2: Enhance citizen perception of safety through increased police
visibility and community engagement.
Measure: Ratings on citizen satisfaction with police service and safety in their
neighborhoods in November 2009 and November 2010
Target: Ratings of 7 or above on a 10 point scale on questions related to police services
and citizen perception of safety
Prior Year Actual: 73% on overall impression of police; 79% on courtesy; 80% on
professionalism; 73% on feeling safe in their neighborhoods
Focus Area Initiative 3: Develop recruitment strategies that attract a more diverse
applicant base to the department
Measure: Number of women and minorities hired as sworn officers
Target: 5% increase in each of next two fiscal years (FY10/11)
Prior Year Actual:
Focus Area Initiative 4: Partner with other city and county agencies as well as other
members of the criminal justice system in enforcement and prevention efforts that reduce
crime and enhance the quality of life in our community.
Measure: Crime reduction in business corridors through Police/Neighborhood
Development collaboration
Target: 5% reduction in UCR Part One Crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated
assault, burglary, vehicle theft, larceny and arson) in FY10
Prior Year Actual: FY08: 2,157 incidents; FY09 (through January 11): 878 incidents
FY10/11 rev. 4 Draft
Measure: Reduction in national and international gangs operating in CharlotteMecklenburg
Target: In conjunction with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, identify
and dismantle one gang per year.
Prior Year Actual: N/A
Focus Area Initiative 5: Reduce loss of life and property damage from fires through
proactive fire code enforcement and rapid response to working fires
Measure: Percent of fire code inspections with an annual state-mandated frequency
conducted each year
Target: 85%
Prior Year Actual: 96.7%
Measure: Percent of alarm first-due responder companies on scene within 6 minutes of
call receipt
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: 79.35%
Measure: Number of fire education programs delivered to CMS third grade classrooms
that are within city limits
Target: 80%
Prior Year Actual: N/A