Last week “Southender” remarked on the seventeen programs which make up our 2008 Safe City Initiative (see previous Blog for listing) - specifically “who will drive this and where is the funding to support it?”
The Safe City Initiative is a cross-departmental, total team approach to crime reduction, safer communities, and enhanced quality of life, that includes not only the Police Department, but also Licenses and Inspections, Housing, Development, Public Works, and Fire. So, funding comes from every department’s involvement. It is the responsibility of the entire team to drive the initiative, but certainly the police department is, for the most part, taking the lead.
In that regard over the next few weeks I will focus my weekly Blog posting on the components of the 2008 Safe City Initiative.
Enhanced Communication & Community Partnerships:
The Community Contact Partnership Program, begun June 1st, is the responsibility of all sworn personnel from the rank of Captain down to develop two community contacts a month within their area of responsibility for a total of fourteen by the end of December 2008. The purpose of these contacts is to improve the police department’s relationships within the neighborhoods and increase information exchange. The community contact program is administered by both the Community Services Bureau and the Detective Bureau. Officers of all ranks are taking part in the program and will be held accountable to their direct supervisors..
The community contact program is build upon the foundation of open, honest communication. Community contacts will be made by police with the residents and business owners with an understanding of a collaborative partnership. The community contact should be receptive to inquiries from their department partners relating to issues taking place in their neighborhoods. These issues are not only limited to violent crime, but also quality of life issues that negatively impact the area. In return, department partners will be expected to offer assistance and support to the community through timely attention to their problems.
The Crime Solvers Tip Lines Program. The HPD supports three tip-lines for you to get information to police: the Crime Solvers Tip Line: 527-TIPS (8477), located in the Major Crimes Division; the Gun Tip Line at 525-GUNS (4867) in the Intelligence Division; and the Drug Tip Line 525-DRUG (3784). These tip lines serve a dual purpose. First, they provide an opportunity to leave information anonymously and secondly, our officers will be encouraged to utilize the Crime Solvers Tips Line as well, to provide information relative to crime conditions in their areas and information they receive regarding past crimes. Use of the Crime tip line by officers is intended to further enhance the information exchange between the Community Services Bureau and the Detective Bureau.
In the fall of 2008 the Hartford Police Department, in conjunction with Hartford the Hartford Board of Education, will create an elementary school reading program that places cops in the classrooms. Each week police officers will read to students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The goal of the Cop-A-Book Program is to emphasize the importance of reading and rewarding reading successes, thereby enhancing each student’s confidence.
Enhanced Communication and Community Partnerships is the cornerstone of our 2008 Safe City Initiative, and is aimed at building trust through honest communication, impacting crime through information sharing, and building educational relationships with our youth.
Next week I will discuss in detail our enforcement strategies relating to quality of life issues and crime suppression.
Again, thank you all for your postings and please continue to share your suggestions and comments with me. I look forward to writing this Blog each week as a means of connecting directly with you so that we can learn from each other as we work together to create a safe environment in our great city.
Your Chief, Daryl K. Roberts
3 comments:
First, thank you for your continued leadership in fighting crime in Hartford. You Sir are a dedicated public servant!
When I purchased my home I had no idea of how much noise, there would be in my neighborhood. I live south of Trinity College and most evening and every weekend cars drive up and down my street with music blairing. It's volumn shakes the walls of my home and I am often blasted awake by it in the early morning hours. As I understand it, this is a quality, or lack of quality, of life issue. I don't want to sell my home and move out of Hartford, but unless this problem is addressed I don't see that I have any choice. PLEASE help me keep my home!
To my readers: I received this posting from "BabyMac" and wanted to share it with you.
"I just wanted to say that I was happy to hear some one give a gut honest response to the senseless violence the city is currently seeing. To think that it is okay to go speeding up and down city streets with no regard for human life or to randomly fire guns and attack and intimidate the elderly speaks of a toxic city that has lost its moral compass.For those that have no regard for human life they should not be surprised when non is given for theirs.
Your statement regarding toxicity and moral compass let myself and every one else see the side of the chief that is also a father, a caring human being and man that cares about the people he is entrusted to protect and serve The Chief and the men and women of the Hartford Police department can not fix all of the social ills of the city. People have to start standing up and taking responsibility for theirs and their children's behavior and stop relying on other to fix them. If you know your children or brother or sister is doing drugs or engaging in illegal behavior and you sit back and watch doing nothing you are as guilty as them. You are part of the problem not part of the solution. I urge all of you to step forward and work with the Law Enforcement agencies and use the resources that are available to you to rid your neighborhoods of the criminal elements and activities. If you do your jobs as Mothers Fathers, Mentors and Clergy the Police will be able to do their jobs that much better. For every child that is shot or killed an other is lost and now two families grieve. "Criminals" If it is your desire to sit in a 6x6 cell for the rest of your life, I am sure that the government could help you with those arrangements; however you need not take an others life to get there.
Chief Roberts, I always had faith you would be a great chief one day.I still believe that. If the rest of the men and women of the department had your sense of responsibility and compassion for those they serve and protect the department might find it has more friends and partners than it knows what to do with. Based on my personal observations there is a lot of work that needs to be done in that area and a whole lot more supervision of personnel.I would be happy to be more specific in a less public forum. Keep up the good work!
Be Well"
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. The issues you mention are foremost in my mind and cornerstones of my 2008Safe City Initiative. I am convinced that working together we can make a longlasting difference in our great city. Again, thank you for writing.
Chief Daryl K. Roberts
I attended the "Vigil" on Monday. I was hoping to hear an announcement of future community discussions across the city. The support organizations' booths were informative, and really makes me wonder, why haven't they been more successful? I am a committed volunteer at the Atheneum and volunteer on an adhoc basis with other organizations, e.g. the Green Team. Are these not effective? Are they not helping? If that is the case, we need to be honest, and reevaluate. Can they improve their effectiveness through better coordination? We need to have the input and participation of ALL of the neighborhoods - and quite frankly, I did not see that Monday night.
I did receive a flyer about a talk on July 9th with you, the Htfd Police Chief and I do plan to attend. At that time, I am hoping that you will take the time to share your announcements re: "Communication and Community Partnerships". It will provide a concrete action that will have a positive influence.
If the masses/citizens have do take the time to consider all the solutions without all the data, the result will be ineffective actions. I believe that is why we have a government. The discussions need to take place with our government officials participating and sharing the details of the problems.
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