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Action 4.10: San Leandro Collaborative This program involves the Community Services Department working with the County to coordinate the efforts of the City. the County and various non-profit organizations in addressing local youth problems. By providing constructive activities and intervention for children at risk, this program helps to address problems such as delinquency and youth crime that can have negative impacts on local economic development efforts. Roles and Responsibilities. The Community Services Department takes primarn responsibility for coordinating this program. Priority: HIGH. This is an existing program. Costs and Sources of Funding. Costs for this program are funded through existing General Fund allocations. Annual costs to the City for this program are LOW'. Action 4.11: Establish Ongoing Mechanism for Obtaining Community Input on Crime and Pubic Safety Issues Overall. San Leandro's Police Department has a good understanding of the issues facing the City's residents and business people around crime and public safety, there is still a need to obtain occasional input from these people on any additional concerns they may have. Therefore, the Cite Manager's office could convene periodic focus group meetings with a small number of residents. merchants. and businesses people to talk about public safery issues and to obtain feedback on any potential hot spots. This interactive exchange between City staff and community members will ensure that Police department staff will remain in touch with the concerns of the people they are trying to serve, and will continue to devise responses to ongoing concerns as then arise. In addition. the groups can serve as another opportunity for the Police to communicate directly with residents and local businesses about overall Department programs. The more opportunities there are for direct interaction between the Police and other community members in non -crisis situations, the easier it will be to begin to counteract the perception that San Leandro has an inordinate amount of crime. These groups could also be used as a sounding board for testing new program initiatives under consideration. Examples of such programs include the possibilit} of starting a Citizens Police Academ- where citizens would participate in a multi -week training program to learn all about hoA the Police Department functions. Another program for future consideration would be establishment of a Downtown Guide program modeled after similar efforts in Portland. Santa Cruz. and Sacramento. Typicall}. after completing initial training. these guides act as foot patrols within a certain area at certain times of the day. Services include providing information on public programs, monitoring street activity. and helping to discourage loitering and other undesirable behavior. 69