MO 1997-026 to 1997-030 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

committee might be augmented by services provided through a contract with a BID consultant. Upon establishment, the objective should be for the BID to be supported b\ member assessments and City contributions that reflect a portion of incremental revenues generated from improved downtown business activity. Based on these assumptions. stan- up costs for this program would likely be MEDIUM, with on -going costs to the Cite considered MEDIUM as well. Enhancing Communitv Safety This category of actions addresses the key issue of public safety. Manv communities. particularly in highly urbanized regions such as the Bay Area, experience problems with the perception of a lack of public safety. Although this is common. unless residents. businesses and their employees, and people who come to the community to shop or visit feel secure when in San Leandro, it will be very difficult for the Citv to achieve its economic development objectives. Public safety was mentioned by a number of persons interviewed for the Baseline Studv as an important issue in promoting local economic development. It was unclear from the research conducted in the Baseline Study how mane of people's concerns around community safety were based on factual knowledge about crime. and how many were based on perception. In further discussion with the Police Chief. it became clear that there is a large information gap around crime and public safer in San Leandro. People often express concern about crime problems that. in reality, do not exist. or are much smaller than was thought. In addition, local merchants often complain that the police are not "doing enough about crime" when realistically these merchants should be taking more responsibility for working in partnership with the police to fight crime. San Leandro's Police Department has long followed many of the practices that have recently come into vogue around crime fighting. including "community policing_." organizing community watch programs. and participating in local business and service organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce. Rotary. and the Lions Club. The Department has a very proactive approach to public safer. and tries to respond quickly and effectively to problems as they arise. Recent efforts to further strengthen the Department's efficiency include reorganizing police beats to deploy people in longer shifts. This allows for more overlap among offices covering the same beat, and better coordination. Beat officers like this program. and there is a lot of peer pressure within the Department to perform well on your beat and not leave loose ends for your counterparts on opposite shifts. Because the basic organizational structure of the Police Department appears to be working well. despite some minor equipment deficiencies. the followin_ actions are directed at providing more information to the community regarding the Departments activities. and enhancing the sense of partnership between the Department and the communih in addressing public safer issues. In addition. there is an action that also builds on other 67 . - '&, 7