Safe Streets comes to Salisbury
Gov. Martin O'Malley announced today that Salisbury is getting a Safe Streets program. The program was rolled out in Annapolis in 2008 as part of an effort to curb a crime spike there. After less than a year, the program looked like it was already paying off. And through the first 11 months of 2009, police there were reporting a 40 percent drop in "Part 1" crimes - including homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny - the lowest crime rate since the city started tracking number this way in 1975. Salisbury is the next stop to receive the influx of resources.
The new program coincided with the appointment of former Baltimore police commander Michael A. Pristoop to head the Annapolis city police. Using money from Safe Streets, Pristoop implemented a number of strategic changes, such as assigning senior commanders to street duty during periods of peak crime, increasing patrols around "hot spot" problem areas and creating a street enforcement unit consisting of canine, drug enforcement, intelligence, traffic and foot patrol teams. Safe Streets helped the police department with technological advances such as CCTV and crime-mapping, and helped the city foster a stronger relationship with the Division of Parole and Probation to target known offenders in the community.
Also, on Thursday, O'Malley plans to give a "State of Public Safety" speech in Cambridge, to address public safety improvements statewide under his tenure.
Here is the announcement:
GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY ANNOUNCES MARYLAND SAFE STREETS IN SALISBURY
SALISBURY, MD (January 6, 2010) - Governor Martin O'Malley announced today that Salisbury is a recipient of $156,261 in grant funds through the Maryland Safe Streets Program, making it the second site in the public safety program. Citing 25 year lows in the state homicide levels, the Governor highlighted the Safe Streets program as part of a comprehensive crime strategy aimed at reducing violent crime in Maryland.
"Salisbury demonstrates a measurable need to reduce crime as well as strong interagency commitment, collaboration, and focus," said Governor O'Malley. "Our most solemn obligation as public servants is to preserve and protect the public's safety. These funds go a long way in these tough economic times to provide the resources local law enforcement need, and they will help facilitate the local, state, and federal partnerships that are vital to driving down crime."
The City of Salisbury's Safe Streets program addresses high incidences of crime in the city and surrounding areas. Utilizing a security integration model of multi-agency collaboration with federal, state, local law enforcement, public safety agencies, and community partners, the program aggressively tracks offenders to reduce drug, gun, and other major crimes. Grant funds provide salary, fringe, and overtime support for law enforcement, a Safe Streets Program Coordinator, a Community Prosecutor, and both a Project Hope Coordinator and Facilitator. Grant funds also provide computer software and equipment.
"Governor Martin O'Malley has picked the right place, at the right time, for funding the Maryland Safe Streets Grant. I am pleased to engage the City of Salisbury in the use of Governor O'Malley's Security Integration Model of multi-agency collaboration," said Mayor James Ireton of Salisbury. "This strategy will be used to meet the goal of reducing Part 1 crimes in Salisbury by 25 percent. I am grateful to all the partnering agencies that collaborated with Salisbury, including: Salisbury Police Department, Maryland State Police, Wicomico County States Attorney Davis Ruark, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Wicomico County Board of Education, and the 10 neighborhood associations that pledged support."
Through its Safe Streets Program, Salisbury will:
1. Develop a strategy which deploys Local, State, and Federal resources to identify repeat offenders who are engaged in gun and drug crime. This includes a commitment to sharing information in accordance with Federal and State law and pooling of resources to prioritize workloads.
2. Coordinate Local and Federal prosecution strategies so that they are focused on the most violent and repeat offenders, with an emphasis on reducing gun and drug-related violence.
3. Enhance information sharing, data analysis, and use of technology in accordance with Federal and State law to identify crime trends and to proactively address community conditions leading to crime.
4. Identify laws and regulations - such as code enforcement - that can be utilized to support public safety efforts.
5. Ensure that social services and drug treatment programs are a part of the coalition to reduce recidivism, support victims, and improve offenders' chances of successful re-entry to the community.
6. Include the community in the work of the Coalition by seeking to implement alternative dispute resolution, community-based crime prevention programs, diversion initiatives, and other appropriate community-based crime prevention initiatives.
7. Commit to share data at regular meetings, in accordance with Federal and State law, and to evaluate progress among the State and Local public safety agencies working within the coalition.
Annapolis City's Capital City Safe Streets program has put innovative policy into action. Through a combination of improved police tactics and practices, modern and enhanced technology, and the integration of expanded community partnerships, Annapolis has benefited from a remarkable reduction in serious crime since the program's inception in April 2008. In 2009 the City of Annapolis with assistance from the Capital City Safe Streets Coalition achieved a 35% reduction in total crime compared to 2008.
Categories: Mapping crime, Neighborhoods
