Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook is currently mulling over a critical decision involving police resources in our neighborhood.
Before July 1 — the start of the City's new fiscal year — he must cut one of the community oriented policing (COPS) positions in the City. And that cut might involve the second officer at the Bland housing project.
Currently there are 12 community police officers in Alexandria, including 8 COPS officers and 4 resident police officers (RPOs). In Sector I of the City, there are five COPS positions: two at Bland (one an RPO), one at Samuel Madden, one in the Inner City (West Old Town) and an RPO at Andrew Adkins.
It's a popular program and many neighborhoods with crime and quality of life issues would like to have a COPS position.
However, the threat of community police cuts loomed last fall. Early this year in the FY 2011 budget process, the Police Department proposed cutting three of the COPS positions or one in each area where two officers were assigned. That meant losing the officer at Bland (while retaining the residential officer), one officer in Arlandria and one in the Lynhaven/Hume Springs neighborhood. The Police Department anticipated saving $280,000 in direct and indirect costs by chopping the positions.
City Council restored much but not all of the funding this spring. Now only one position is in jeopardy and the Growler fears the decision where to cut will be swayed as much by politics as by statistics.
Why should the position at Bland be retained? When running the statistics from the Police Department Web site for Bland vs. Lynhaven and Hume Springs the past year (June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010) the Growler found we had twice as many drug offenses as the two other areas combined (49 versus 26) and 30% more assaults (57 versus 40).
One offense in particular stands out: there were six times as many trespassing offenses at Bland as there were in Lynhaven/Hume Springs (65 compared to 11). As readers know, this difference can be attributed to the ARHA barment policy which is effective in keeping visitors with criminal convictions off the housing authority's properties.
This is significant because one trespassing arrest may prevent a host of crimes. If the capability to make these arrests is eroded because there are fewer police on hand, we are in for a potentially long, hot summer because the bad guys will find it easier to slip in. Watch the crime rate spiral then, particularly drug offenses.
One rationale the Growler suspects will probably surface for cutting the Bland officer is that redevelopment is now truly launched. However, only Phase I is underway at this time, and it covers less than a full city block, since most of the 700 block of N. Columbus Street consists of private homes. Only the tip of the iceberg will be affected this year.
So are there other alternatives?
The Growler was intrigued to notice earlier this year when the budget memos on COPS were issued that there are positions assigned to three apartment complexes elsewhere in the City: Crestview, Cameron Commons, and Hampton Court. None of these three positions was even mentioned in terms of cuts yet the crime numbers and the seriousness of offenses in those complexes pales in comparison to what happens in our neighborhood.
It is only common sense to assign police resources where they are most needed. The Bland COPS officer needs to stay.
If you want to make yourself heard on this issue, click here to send an E-mail to the Chief with a copy to the Mayor and Council.
19 comments:
"The Growler was intrigued to notice earlier this year when the budget memos on COPS were issued that there are positions assigned to three apartment complexes elsewhere in the City: Crestview, Cameron Commons, and Hampton Court."
Growler, where are these complexes located?
Hampton Court is at 441 North Armistead Street.
Cameron Commons (now known as the Fields of Alexandria) is located at 4309 Duke Street.
Crestview is at 318 S. Whiting Street.
Considering that they are trying to resell new and improved Bland units, why on earth would they cut down on security?
Imagine a potential buyer stopping by the sales office and noticing an 8 car police response. Those community officers are the first line of defense against trouble.
"One rationale the Growler suspects will probably surface for cutting the Bland officer is that redevelopment is now truly launched."
And what happens when trouble shifts over to Adkins and Madden Uptown?
The hidden argument here is that the Lynhaven/Hume springs officer should be the one cut based on statistics.
I am interested in the the utilization of the program itself. How engaged is the community at the Bland with the COP in the Area. For instance, the Hume Springs/Lynhaven COPs have been working closely with the citizens (via newer technologies like texts and emails) to alert them of issues and concerns. Therefore the statistics go down. You argument is faulty because utilization of the program in these areas has decreased crime stats. Removal of the officer would inevitably increase statistics again.
Additionally, the position was restored very largely due to the DROVES of Lynhaven/ Hume Springs residents that appeared at all the city council meetings, working groups and sessions with city council. There were few to no citizens from the Bland arguing to decrease cuts. Perhaps this post is several months late?
The Growler can say with confidence that no neighborhood has more closely worked with the police than ours, and the relationship goes back decades. There have been officers at Bland since the early 1990s.
The interaction and collaboration with the police have been excellent due to their outreach and effectiveness within the community.
The COPS positions are here because we have a concentration of assets that no other neighborhood currently has to deal with. The fact is that the numbers are just higher over here for the most serious offenses. Recall also that last year the Growler crunched numbers and found that 40% of the homicides in Alexandria over the previous five years took place here, including a double murder at Bland.
Your comment simply bears out the Growler's notion that the decision will ultimately be a political one.
"There were few to no citizens from the Bland arguing to decrease cuts. "
There is a strong difference.
When you argue that no citizens are arguing from Bland, it seems that the majority of the citizens arguing to save the Bland COP are the neighbors around Bland, who recognize what happens when you remove police presence from a high-crime, highly concentrated area of poverty.
To be honest, I dont think the residents of Bland really know or care if they lose a COP. But the neighborhood around Bland knows all too well what can happen when police presence vanishes.
This knee-jerk reaction is exactly what keeps anything positive from happening around here. Growler, you are a fine writer/researcher, but you're wasting your talent and the best opportunity to leverage communities impacted by an inept housing authority and an incompetent police chief. Rather than petty vying for WHO should get the remaining COPS officers (ME… NO, pick ME!!), we should calmly address the city as a group. The right to feel safe in our homes and communities is a basic one, and this city is failing ALL of us. Rather than scrambling around for scraps, we need to stand together and confront the issues in an organized, not divisive manner.Why is the mayor even THINKING about keeping christmas lights up and down king street when public safety is at risk?
It seems like there were other ways to save money rather than cutting COPS program officers. For example, call in any ARHA loans, which should never have been issued in the first place.
These officers are dedicated to helping communities, and residents really do appreciate them. Well, maybe the drug folks don't, but why do we continue to allow them back in Alexandria t all? Once you have been in jail for drug possession and dealing, you should be forever banned from ARHA properties and the city as a whole!
Let's hope things don't end up the way they were two years ago.
What could possibly make anyone believe that Bland doesn't deserve 2 COP's? Just because redevelopment is coming doesn't mean that we won't have another year where community officers provide protection to public housing residents from trespassers and other troublemakers.
Plus, the last time I checked, Adkins and Madden are still in place, with the same problems neighbors and residents have been complaining about for years.
If anything they should transfer over officers from Crestview and Cameron Commons to Adkins and Madden so they are fully stocked at 2 officers.
After all, Adkins and Madden and Hopkins Tancil are the only neighborhoods in the City that I am aware of where they actually have officers patrolling the homes on foot as well. Although not COP's there is a constant police presence in all 3 places.
More cops equals more taxes. What do we want? I'd take a modest hike in taxes to pay for less annoying crime, any day of the week.
"Additionally, the position was restored very largely due to the DROVES of Lynhaven/ Hume Springs residents that appeared at all the city council meetings, working groups and sessions with city council."
Ah, the vagaries of politics. Sorry citizen, sorry Growler, but as I remember the inner city/West Old Town has already lost one COPS officer - Walter Greene. Was his position not vacated so Lynhaven could have theirs? We don't need to sacrifice another police officer especially if the post Greene stats are unfavorable. The interplay between Bland, Samuel Madden, Andrew Adkins and Hopkins Tancil is well known.
"the neighborhood around Bland knows all too well what can happen when police presence vanishes."
Got that right! Our COPS should remain here.
I think the APD could cut in areas other than the police officers working in our most troubled communities.
Why do we have four deputy chiefs considering the size of both our city and police force? Why do we pay parking enforcement officers to give out parking tickets at 3am?
I think the APD could cut in areas other than the police officers working in our most troubled communities.
Yeah how about a dog park in Delray. What would you rather have, a place for dogs to tinkle or safe public housing projects for all?
Not really feeling charitable! If Cook's decision is political rather than practical then we'll just have to barrage Council with emails. Other neighborhoods want their due except when it comes to their fair share of public housing units. I'm not condemning all public housing residents but I agree with whoever spoke to the "friendly" relationships between Bland, Adkins and Hopkins Tancil. Like a well-worn asphalt path to and from.
Like I am supposed to believe that other neighborhoods have the same crime problems we do?
Crestview has it's share of problems.
NEWS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 #09-038
11:00 A.M. DONALDSON
Alexandria Police Investigate Suspicious Death on S. Whiting Street
Alexandria Police are investigating the suspicious death of a man found in the 300 block of S. Whiting Street. On Thursday, September 3 around 11:00 p.m., officers responded for a report of a man lying in the parking lot. Upon their arrival, they found a man suffering from trauma to the upper body. The victim was transported to INOVA Fairfax Hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause and manner of death. The unidentified victim is a black male. An autopsy performed Friday has determined the manner of death to be homicide. The cause of death is a gunshot wound to the upper body.
Once again we must point out that the Growlers stats are right. 40% of the homicides in Alexandria over the previous five years took place in our neighborhood.
The COPS program should not be eliminated from any area in the city. The city should work with APD to find other cuts. Does the city really need the stupid Trolly system in Old Town? Did we need recycling bins with computer chips? Is the city attempting to collect on all the code violations/fines or back taxes that are owed to them?
Perhaps the larger question that should be asked is : why do ARHA properties need community officers?
This seems yet more of an indictment of Alexandria public housing policy, as if there wasn't already enough evidence.
Why not shift the burden of protecting public housing residents to ARHA so we don't have to pay for it as a city at all?
After emailing Mr. Cook on this, he was kind enough to send an update on the situation:
We are retaining the second COPS position at James Bland at this time. The position may be reassigned in the future as we have another COPS area that is without an assigned officer. My budget text mentioned that my goal was to ensure all nine COPS areas retain at least one officer for this program.
The COPS program is a comprehensive crime enforcement, nuisance abatement, crime prevention, and community relations building program. Thus, while crime reduction and citizen safety is our priority, the other elements of the program are essential to build and sustain improvements gained by the Police and their community partners. We evaluate the need to continue COPS programs in established areas and consider realignment as necessary.
Our required reduction in force necessitates loss of service in some areas. We will continue to provide added Police resources to James Bland and the West Old Town communities based on current conditions. It may not however, include our ability to maintain two COPS officers in James Bland for an extended period of time.
Captain Hooper is very involved and pro-active in providing Police resources to the current and evolving crime issues in the community. We will continue to work with you and other residents to make this community safe.
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