Success Stories:

Creative Strategy Reduces Drug Sales in Kennedy Heights

Bond Hill Sit In to Deter Open Air Drug Market

Outstanding Community Efforts in Community Police Partnering
CPOP Teams in three communities were given awards in 2007. They were recognized for diligently following the SARA process (Scanning, Analysis, Response & Assessment) and for dedication to the success of Community Police Partnering in their community.

North Avondale CPOP Team
In October 2006, the North Avondale CPOP team identified multiple problems from the monthly CPD incident reports in the vicinity of Dana and Burton Avenues, including breaking and entering and burglaries. Upon further discussion among community stakeholders and representatives of the Partnering Center, the team, along with Cincinnati Police Department officers Wiley Ross and Jana Cruse agreed to engage in a joint venture to address this problem.

In addition to the monthly police incident reports, Officer Cruse identified a 55 percent increase in property crime in the location of 950-1029 Dana Avenue during the months of November and December 2005, as well as in January 2006. Further analysis of police data by the CPOP team revealed that the large spike in burglaries was very concentrated in that location, as opposed to being spread out throughout the entire neighborhood. This analysis also revealed that a favorite target of thieves was electronic equipment, particularly desktop and laptop computers, and other small electronic devices – essential items in the homes of college students.

Based on this analysis, the group chose as their response a strategy that centered upon an informational flyer campaign, as well as a “hide and seek” component for the coveted electronic items. The campaign focused on the 900-1000 blocks of Dana and Burton Avenues in an attempt to reduce burglaries during the fall and winter holiday break periods. Beginning in October, flyers informing local residents and stakeholders of this problem and urging them to take precautions were passed out in this area, as well as in other areas of Evanston and Norwood that surround the Xavier University campus. In addition to CPOP team members, Xavier students and faculty, the North Avondale Citizens On Patrol, (COP) and Xavier security personnel assisted in the flyer distribution.

The “hide and seek” portion of the response involved a local landlord allowing residents to store their electronic equipment at a discreet location he owned on Dana Ave. during holiday breaks when students were away. This would further discourage would-be burglars from escaping with their intended “loot” if they did in fact enter a residence that was observed to be unoccupied over the break period.

In performing a preliminary assessment, CPD offense reports for burglary were examined for the entire year for Dana and Burton Avenues. The numbers were then isolated during the period of November 1-December 31 2005, and for the same period in 2006.

During the period under review and response (November 1-December 31), there were 11 burglaries reported by the CPD for Dana Avenue in 2005. For the same time frame in 2006, there were only 2 burglaries reported on Dana Avenue.
This campaign of awareness and “hide and seek” was the catalyst of an enormously successful campaign to dramatically reduce burglaries by 82% during the holiday exodus in the targeted locations, and among the people it intended to positively affect.

Price Hill CPOP Team
One of the basic tenets of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is territoriality – which simply means turning a particular area over to legitimate users of a place so that they will be more likely to adopt “ownership” of that place. When legitimate users occupy a space, it is less likely that people who do not belong will engage in criminal or nuisance behavior at that location.

This concept of legitimate users taking ownership of a location is the premise of the Price Hill CPOP Team’s award winning CPOP initiative. Fed up with loitering, drug activity, intimidating behavior and littering at areas throughout both the East and West Price Hill communities, residents and the police banded together, investing their time and energy to take back their streets and address the criminal activity and other disorder that threatened the peace and quality of life and caused many of the “good guys” (and gals) to leave, feeling that they had become hostages in their own homes and neighborhood. Some people who gave up and moved out of the area left abandoned properties, which then contributed to increased blight and overall neighborhood decline.

A variety of projects were attempted in the past with only moderate success. The results of these past efforts only lasted as long as the initial intervention, or did not disrupt the problem activities during peak hours. The Price Hill CPOP Team, however, wanted to do something that would interrupt problem activities at times when they were at their worst, and also have longer-lasting, permanent and sustainable outcomes. This past July, one member of the team who had previously lived in Chicago suggested something that had worked there – an initiative called the “Good Guy Loitering” Project. The goal of this project is to station teams of “good guys” on multiple corners to not only displace but permanently disrupt the criminal and nuisance activity taking place.

Utilizing the SARA Process, the Price Hill CPOP Team worked with the District 3 police officers to review crime statistic and determine the areas most in need of this strategy. They also factored in what they already knew about neighborhood trouble spots based on their experiences from regular safety walks and litter pickups. Based on this analysis, the team determined that the areas most in need of this response were the four corners throughout the Warsaw Avenue business corridor in East Price Hills, which included:

• Warsaw Ave. at Elberon Ave.
• Warsaw Ave. at McPherson Ave.
• Warsaw Ave. at Hawthorne Ave.
• Warsaw Ave. at Enright Ave.

Legitimate businesses in this area have suffered as a result of the problems at these corners. Some businesses have closed resulting in several vacant properties along the Warsaw business corridor.

Additionally, two corners along W. Liberty in West Price Hill were also selected for this project:

• W. Liberty Ave. at Iliff Ave.
• W. Liberty Ave. at Gilsey Ave.

Multiple responses were held over the summer months and have continued throughout the fall in the two intervention areas, effectively keeping those who would do harm at these locations off guard and wondering when the “good guys” will strike again. Responses have generally included from eight to sixteen volunteers. Depending on the number of people who attend, the team breaks into groups of 5-6 and to cover the following 4 corners at their problem intersection. There is no confrontation involved, and depending on the number of people who attend, they break into groups to cover all four corners at their problem intersections.  People are asked to bring a lawn (or other type) chair, drinks and snacks. Each response lasts a minimum of two, but most often three to four hours. Police are made aware of the locations prior to the activity, enabling District 3 officers to drive or stop by during the activity to make sure the team is safe and provide a sense of security to those participating, who have experience repeated threatening behavior.

Team member Patti Hogan expressed that their efforts to date have been a “rousing success”. The team has routinely received words of thanks and support by people passing by during their responses. Another result that was immediately evident is that an area that had been disrupted by a “Good Guy” response tended to stay disrupted for several days following the activity. The group has also been encouraged that the response seems to be empowering other Price Hill residents to come out of their homes and become involved in this and other neighborhood improvement efforts. The Team’s efforts were featured on WLWT-TV News 5 in September. In that interview, team member and “loiterer” Michael Wigle said, “Now we start to gather and even before we set up our chairs, everybody’s gone”. Patti Hogan added, “We want people to feel safe living in this community – we don’t want people living like they’re held hostage” As they forge ahead, the Price Hill CPOP Team looks forward to new members joining them and continued positive publicity as they continue to take back their community for the “Good Guys” – those who, like them, desire to ensure that Price Hill is a safe and enjoyable place for all to live, work and worship and play.

Over-the-Rhine CPOP Team
An apartment complex at 127 – 129 E. Clifton Avenue had been an eyesore for the community, a health hazard for the tenants, and a source of repeat radio runs for District One police officers for several years. Due to years of neglect and a lack of proper maintenance, conditions in the buildings had deteriorated to the point where they became a haven for criminal activities. These crimes included drug use and sales, prostitution, vandalism, disorderly conduct and crimes of violence. District One officers reporting to calls to the property reported numerous code violations including collapsing ceilings, water damage, cockroach infestation, unsecured vacant apartments, broken stairs and other hazardous conditions that made these buildings virtually unlivable. Residents stated that they were afraid to report the health and safety violations for fear of losing their apartments. The condition of the property and the actions of some of the tenants and others who were trespassing in the property created an intolerable situation for the residents of this area, including some of the good tenants in these buildings who were being harmed by the conditions inside the apartments and intimidated by those engaged in illegal activity on and around the premises.

The Over-the-Rhine Chamber Mulberry McMicken Safety Sector, one of five such sector groups working to improve safety and promote economic vitality in OTR, began to work with the police and several social service agencies in the neighborhood to address the blight and criminal activity associated with this problem building. District One Crime Analyst, Police Officer Lisa Dotson, reviewed the Calls For Service for calls associated with drugs, disorder, and violence and determined that the location fit the criteria as a “Hot Spot”. A thorough analysis of crime trends in the surrounding area was also conducted. The crime analysis indicated a dramatic increase in drug related offenses from January through May 2006 as compared to the same time frame in 2005. Seventy-seven percent (31) of the arrests from January through May 2006 were for drug related offenses, which was a 158% increase from the same period in 2005. Throughout the months of May to August, 2006, 5.8% of the total radio runs made in this police Reporting Area (RA) were made to this address. Results of this analysis were turned over to the Code Enforcement Response Team (CERT), a concentrated effort of the community and the city to abate the crime, disorder and blight that plagued this location. The CERT team is comprised of representatives from the Health Department, Building Department, Fire, Police and the Prosecutor’s office.

As part of the CERT action, some residents of the buildings agreed to provide access to inspectors to evaluate the condition of the property and determine the extent of the deterioration. Police then met with the property owner to recommend increased police presence to deter trespassing and attempt to gain voluntary compliance with building repair and security issues. Initially, the owner took some steps by hiring off duty police detail to address trespassers and making some cosmetic changes to the buildings including painting, adding a new front gate, removing trash and debris. The owner also evicted some residents who violated their lease agreements. District One Police also gave additional attention to this location during their daily patrols.

After several months, it became clear that the owner was not willing to make any further improvements, and the criminal activity was still present. The CERT Team issued orders and citations mandating compliance with building, health, and fire codes. The owner was arrested for building code violations and on May 12th, 2007, the building was ordered vacated and barricaded.

Following this action, the calls for service at this property were reduced by 84.9% (comparing the months of May through August, 2006 to May through August, 2007). The Reporting Area in which this property is located also experienced a 19.4% reduction in calls for service. Four-percent of this reduction at the Reporting Area level can be attributed to the closure of this problem building.

While it is too early to tell what the long term effects of the closure of this problem property will be, the nuisance is abated and the opportunity for renovation or redevelopment now exists. It is also evident that the elimination of this location as a haven for drug activity and other crimes of disorder have had an immediate positive impact on this area by reducing crime and disorder and improving safety for residents in this sector of Over-the-Rhine.

A Certificate of Achievement was given to two communities in this category:
The Columbia Tusculum Community Council is recognized for their determination and resolve in working with the Cincinnati Police Department District 2 & City Departments to address crime and quality of life issues by dealing with a problem tenant at a rental home on Walworth Ave.

The Evanston Safety & Quality of Life Committee is recognized for their collaboration which brought together several community organizations and faith-based groups, District 2 Police, and the Community Building Institute to develop a strategic plan to deal with neighborhood crime and safety concerns in a comprehensive and coordinated fashion.