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Posted 2/25/08
A Day in the Department

On Thursday, February 21, Assistant City Manager Mike Guinn and I had the opportunity to spend a day in the Police Department. Last year we had breakfast meetings with all 180 of our colleagues. This year we are spending one day each month in the departments observing activities and interacting with staff. Mike and I got to spend time in the lab, riding with the blight team, observing central dispatch, touring the new Middle School and working with Officer Bobby Whitten at the High School. We observed the officers in District Court and we had a briefing by Investigations Captain Tim Brown. The professionalism and pride that shows through in each area of the department is outstanding.

The Mayor’s State of the City address outlined the success in crime statistics the Police Department has experienced in comparing 2002 with 2007. The number of violent crimes dropped from 1,261 to 753. The total number of criminal offenses went from 1,512 to 888, a decrease of 41%. These positive results are due to the leadership in the department and the practice of “community policing.” Our very successful Blight Team, consisting of two full-time officers, uses the “Broken Windows theory” as a basic premise for helping to improve neighborhoods. The Broken Windows theory holds that ignoring the little problems—graffiti, litter, shattered glass—creates a sense of irreversible decline that leads people to abandon the community or to stay away. Fixing things has the opposite result—a clean neighborhood and community pride.

A Day in the Department gave Mike and I the opportunity to see first-hand the dedicated efforts of our city staff. Our next department visit will be in the Water Utility and Parks Department.

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