--- title: "CommunityBased Policing in Palomino Square" type: "pdf" year: "1998" canonical: "/projects/978" --- Police Executive Research Forum 1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930 Washington, DC 20036 Attn: Herman Goldstein Award Herman Goldstein Award Selection Committee, I am forwarding eight copies of the completed application package for consideration of the most prestigious Herman Goldstein Award. The Phoenix Police Department was notified by the community, more commonly referred to as the 'Square', of the increased calls for service due to several gangs vying for territory and the number of gang related shootings. Commander Jack Harris took command of the precinct in July 1997. After attending several meetings pertaining to the area, he was convinced that a more aggressive assault of the area was the only way to return the "Square" back to the original owners, the law-abiding citizens who reside in the area. Lieutenant Campbell attended two prior Problem Oriented Policing seminars, which contributed to several ideas for this area. She began researching traffic barriers to prevent drive by shootings. The community began an Alliance and then researched federal grants to assist the area Financially. The area was also the recipient of a Fight Back Program that received \$80,000 to improve the neighborhood. With a commitment from the precinct, and other government entities, i.e. Neighborhood Services to cite for zoning violations, intensive patrol, improved lighting in the neighborhood, utilizing large boulders to keep vehicles off the landscaped yards, posting of no parking signs, clean-ups, the area began taking on a new appearance. Children began playing in the front yards and adults began walking at night. This action has not been viewed in the area for several years due to the perception of fear of the area residents. In August 1997, an apartment from a four-plex apartment complex was donated to the precinct on a six-month trial basis. The precinct's Neighborhood Police Officers moved in, along with a representative from Neighborhood Services Department. Working hand in hand, the local neighbors, who are predominantly Hispanics, came to accept the extra police protection. The bond between the police department and the community changed the apartments and traflers into "homes" and into livable neighborhoods by using the SARA model. As you can see from the attachments, numerous action plans have been implemented in the area and the neighbors have been very appreciative of the efforts made. I recommend this packet be reviewed by the Herman Goldstein Award Selection Committee for consideration of the prestigious Herman Goldstein Award. In addition, I recommend that the SARA strategies used to turn this community around be addressed in the next POPS conference in San Diego. Sincerely, HAROLD HURTT Police Chief ## Officer: Lieutenant Brenda Campbell Agency: Phoenix Police Department Address: 16030 N. 56 St. Scottsdale, AZ 85254 ## Phone: (602) 534-0344 Fax: (602) 495-3639 E-mail: CBPLt@aol.com # SCANNING # Table of Contents - [Officer: Lieutenant Brenda Campbell Agency: Phoenix Police Department](#officer-lieutenant-brenda-campbell-agency-phoenix-police-department) - [Phone: (602) 534-0344](#phone-602-534-0344) - [SCANNING](#scanning) - [What problem did you address in your POP project?](#what-problem-did-you-address-in-your-pop-project) - [Why did you select this problem?](#why-did-you-select-this-problem) - [ANALYSIS](#analysis) - [What analysis was done concerning the problem?](#what-analysis-was-done-concerning-the-problem) - [What harms have resulted from the problem?](#what-harms-have-resulted-from-the-problem) - [RESPONSE](#response) - [What were the goals of your response?](#what-were-the-goals-of-your-response) - [ASSESSMENT](#assessment) - [What were the results of your response?](#what-were-the-results-of-your-response) - [How did yon measure your results?](#how-did-yon-measure-your-results) - [City of Phoenix](#city-of-phoenix) - [What is the purpose of the Neighborhood F/ghf Back_Program?](#what-is-the-purpose-of-the-neighborhood-fghf-back_program) - [Fight Back I](#fight-back-i) - [Eifht Back II](#eifht-back-ii) - [Eight Back III](#eight-back-iii) ## What problem did you address in your POP project? A low-income one-square mile area known as the "Square". The area is a densely populated area with multi-housing apartments, absentee landlords, and high volume of calls for service. Numerous gangs were vying for turf resulting in graffiti, drive-by shootings, drug trafficking and meth labs. The area is very transient with cultural and language barriers. ## Why did you select this problem? The increase of calls for service, violent crimes, and gang turf wars occurring on a nightly basis. The neighbors complained of drug and gang activity, but feared getting involved due to retaliation. This area required extensive personnel to handle the calls for service. The reactive responses were not solving problems, just putting a Band-Aid on them. The City also designated this area as a Fight Back area that had available funding to assist with neighborhood improvements. ## ANALYSIS ## What analysis was done concerning the problem? Pre surveys were disseminated to ascertain the problem from the community's perspective. Community meetings were held where the department "listened" to their concerns. The area formed an Alliance and other City departments joined in as partners, i.e. prosecutors office, county attorneys office, adult/juvy probation offices, neighborhood services dept.(zoning issues). Gang members and their graffiti were identified through the department's Organized Crime Bureau's intelligence, residents identified suspected drug houses, local businesses cooperated with the Alliance, CPTED areas were identified. ## What harms have resulted from the problem? Only a few residents came forth willing to commit to the cause. The Alliance was not as strong as it needed to be due to lack of leadership, thus the fear that the actions taken would not be self-reliant, but police reliant. The Police Department failed to train members of the Alliance as to their roles and responsibilities to become self-sustaining. ## RESPONSE ## What were the goals of your response? Educate the Alliance so they will become self-sustaining vs. police reliant, Set up a sub-station within the residential area, Increase police patrol, educate the neighbors as to our goals and form a cooperative relationship, Partnership with other agencies to accomplish goals, encourage the Alliance to focus on the youth activities, clean-ups. Due to language barriers, set up English second language (ESL) classes. Work with the schools to identify high risk students so officers can start a mentorship program (Pathfinder) to discourage youth ffom drugs and alcohol and to stay in school. Most important, remove the criminal elements from the area so that the "Square" can become a home to its residents, minimizing the transient population and sustaining the effort by all. Describe the response and any difficulties yon encountered? The language barrier because few officers spoke Spanish. The PPD encouraged the Alliance to teach ESL, officers took Spanish Emerson classes. Also, most of the neighbors rely on the police and the Alliance to solve the problem. ## ASSESSMENT ## What were the results of your response? Reduction of gang-related incidents and graffiti, decrease in drug and drug labs, reduction of calls for service, reduced property crimes, and neighbors and children are actually walking and playing outside, a site rarely observed in the past. Trust and respect between the police and neighbors are restored. ## How did yon measure your results? Post surveys, community feedback, crime stats, improved quality of life, appearance of neighborhood, reduced calls for service. # City of Phoenix To: Brenda Campbell, Lieutenant ..... Date: May 20,1998 Patrol 66 From: Todd Goehring, Sergeant ${ }^{\wedge *}$ 65 Z Squad Subject COMMUNITY BASED POLICING IN THE PALOMINO "SQUARE" This document is to inform and update the efforts the Phoenix Police Department's Desert Horizon Precinct has provided and accomplished in conjunction with other city agencies in the community known as the Palomino "Square." The goals set were to reduce crime and support the law abiding citizens using the Community Based Policing strategy known as SARA (Scanning, Analyze, Response, Assessment). The Palomino "Square" is bounded by Bell Road on the north; 32nd Street on the east; Greenway Parkway on the south; and Cave Creek Road on the west (see Council District 2 Fight Back Neighborhood map). The neighborhood is in a one square mile area and is located entirely within the boundaries of City Council District 2 and Paradise Valley Village. To give you some background on the Palomino neighborhood, the demographics and housing data are as follows: Population and housing data: Between 1980 and 1990, the population in the Palomino neighborhood increased by over $200 \%$ and the number of households in the neighborhood increased by $172 \%$. These increases were due to the number of multi-family units that were constructed in the neighborhood during the 1980's. Currently the population is over 10,000 resident's homes. Over the decade, the number of single-family homes in the neighborhood decreased by over $50 \%$ while the number of apartment units increased by over $1000 \%$. In 1990, single-family homes made up only $4 \%$ of the neighborhood's housing stock; duplex, triplex and four-plex units made up $27 \%$ of the housing stock; and apartment units made up $57 \%$ of the housing stock. The overcrowding rate in the neighborhood was $90.5 \%$, which was approximately 14 times higher than citywide average of $6.4 \%$. Income characteristics: In 1989, the neighborhood's average household income $(\$ 21,975)$ was equivalent to $59 \%$ of the citywide average. The average income of the neighborhood had been $71 \%$ of the citywide average in 1979, indicating that the area is declining in income relative to the city. Approximately $25 \%$ of the neighborhood's population was below the poverty threshold in 1989, which was almost twice as high as the citywide average. About $14 \%$ of the households in the neighborhood did not have a telephone in 1990. Ethnic distribution: The percentage of white, non-Hispanic residents in the neighborhood decreased while the percentage of Hispanic residents in the neighborhood increased between 1980 and 1995. In 1995, the ethnic distribution of the neighborhood's population was as follows: White, non-Hispanic (63\%); Black (2\%); Hispanic (32\%); and other, non-Hispanic (3\%). The neighborhood's minority population (37\%) was close to the 1995 city average of $35 \%$. Crime statistics: Statistics reveal that in this Palomino neighborhood there have been 7,000 - 9,000 police calls for service since 1993. In 1996 alone, police responded to 262 domestic violence calls, 137 shots fired calls, 146 fight calls, 5 gang related homicides, 160 aggravated assaults, 652 thefts, 193 burglaries, and numerous drug related calls. The crime rate within the neighborhood has increased by approximately $48 \%$ over the last three years. During this time period, the citywide crime rate has increased by approximately $18 \%$. The first half of 1997 crime statistics showed no decline in crime. The law-abiding citizens were moving out due to the high crime rate making the neighborhood very transitory. # What is the purpose of the Neighborhood F/ghf Back_Program? The Neighborhood Fight Back Program offers designated neighborhoods specialized support over a limited period of time to assist with resident-driven neighborhood improvement efforts. These efforts generally focus on revitalizadon, sustainability, crime and blight reduction, resident participation, neighborhood leadership development, and community building. ## Fight Back I Fight Back I was introduced in January 1995 for police supplemental for the Palomino area. It lasted approximately one month. The neighborhood did not show commitment to partnership with the City due to lack of interest from the citizens. Because of this lack of commitment, one neighbor finally stepped forward and began partnering with the department and thus began the formation of the Palomino Alliance. Ms. Tina Snyder began by researching the crime statistics to convince the neighbors there was indeed a neighborhood social problem. This led to the interest of the community to support the Fight Back II. ## Eifht Back II A short time after the Greenway Road Fight Back Grant was over, the Palomino neighborhood returned to its crime ridden past, in March 1996, another grant was funded by the city to assist the neighborhood called the Palomino Fight Back Program II. Again this program was to improve the quality of life within this neighborhood. The Desert Horizon Precinct's Community Based Policing Unit assisted the fight back with an action plan on increased police enforcement and neighborhood interaction. (See attached Palomino Fight Back Program Action Plan.) This program was in effect for 90 days. During this fight back and a short time following its end date, the grant received its desired results. After Fight Back II, Tina Snyder and the rest of the Palomino Alliance watched as the neighborhood slowly returned to decay and effected their qualify of life. Other law enforcement bureaus and agencies came to assist and combat crime. The Maricopa County Sheriffs Posse, Department of Public Safety's Gang Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GITEM), and the Phoenix Police Department's Gang Squad and Drug Enforcement Bureau. However, each listed agency worked separately and spent a minimal amount of time in the Palomino neighborhood due to budget costs and other areas of the city requesting their assistance. In June 1997, another action plan was proposed and initiated in the Palomino "Square" (Seeattached action plan dated May 16, 1997.) The Desert Horizon Precinct's Neighborhood Police Officer (NPO) Squad conducted high intensity zero tolerance enforcement in the "Square" on police mountain bikes and patrol vehicles. The action plan lasted two weeks and involved several other precinct squads. During the two-week enforcement program, there were 8 felony arrests, 14 misdemeanor arrests, and 79 traffic citations issued. The first several days of the action plan were the most active, but then the criminals knew we were there and they laid low. After the two-week action plan, the NPO Squad periodically did maintenance enforcement, but found that the problem returned as soon as the criminals realized that we were not in the area on a continual basis. In July of 1997, Jack Harris became the new precinct commander of the Desert Horizon Precinct. One of Commander Harris's goals was to effectively enhance the quality of life for the citizens in the Palomino "Square". During the early stages of devising a plan, Joann Frantz from Preferred Rental Management approached the precinct and offered one of her apartments for the NPO officers to work out of for six months free of charge. The apartment was located in the heart of the "Square" where the majority of calls for police service were being generated. With the use of the free apartment for six months, Commander Harris, Lieutenant Brenda Campbell of the Desert Horizon Precinct's Neighborhood Policing Unit, in conjunction with Council woman Francis Emma Barwood of District 2 accepted the apartment with a move in date of August 1,1997. The task to work out of the apartment and to enhance the quality of life in the "Square" was the Desert Horizon Precinct's NPO Squad. The action plan they had devised in June 1997 would still be in effect for the next six months. The NPOs sole responsibility was to implement a zero tolerance enforcement program and work with Desert Horizon Precinct's Direct Enforcement Squad (undercover). Community Action Officers, Drug Enforcement Bureau, the city of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Division, and Adult Probation. Before the move in date, on August 1st, the NPO Squad furnished the apartment with furniture from city surplus. Electricity was donated by Arizona Public Service and Motorola donated needed ear piece attachments for the officers police radios. On September 6, 1997, the Desert Horizon Precinct had a grand opening for the satellite office. In attendance was noted city managers, city council personnel, and adult probation, various police command staff and neighborhood residents. The grand opening was a success. (See attached addendum for details.) During the six-month effort, the NPO Squad in conjunction with the following bureaus and agencies conducted Community Based Policing programs as follows: Neighborhood Services Department: "Rental Renaissance Prppram" -The Palomino neighborhood is part of the Rental Renaissance Program, a pilot program which was introduced in the Fall of 1997. This program is a multi-departmental approach to addressing the problems of a stressed neighborhood. On the surface, the goal of the program is to identify rental properties to be cleaned up through various means. Below the surface, various departments' staff are involved in an attempt to address the numerous problems within the neighborhood. The main issues to be addressed by this program include cross-cultural education, property management education, and organization, tenant education, housing rehabilitation funding, property maintenance enforcement, identifying crime, and conducting safety assessments. (See attached *Rental Housing Renaissance Program memo.*) **Neighborhood Service Department: "Good Neighbor Program"** - By design, the *Good Neighbor Program* seeks to create a setting in which residents can get to know each other, become closely identified with the Palomino Neighborhood, further develop their concept of what constitutes, being a "good neighbor," receive beneficial information, develop and utilize their personal leadership skills, experience working in teams, and meet achievable goals. (See attached *Good Neighbor Program addendum.*) **Drug Enforcement Bureau: "Demand Reduction Program"** - Since the opening of the Palomino satellite sub-station, DEB has assisted in the service of eight search warrants as of this date for narcotic drugs. (See attached *Demand Reduction Action Plan addendum.*) **Pathfinder Program** - The Community Action Office is coordinating the *Pathfinder Program* for the precinct, which is a youth mentorship project initiated in Squaw Peak Precinct in January 1995. This program targets "at risk" youth and is designed to change the path, or course of life, for them through the use of Concentrated Neighborhood Patrol time in the part of volunteer patrol officers working one-on-one with selected youth. It utilizes strategies similar to the Summer Youth Project and provides a much-needed long-term approach that emphasizes relationship building and takes full advantage of police officers invested power and authority for positive purposes. The *Pathfinder Program* is founded on two main principles. Those principles include the future of crime and victimization levels, the ability of our community to develop empowered, non-dependent and law-abiding citizens rests on effective organizational efforts that are directed toward today's youth and that law enforcement has taken on the role of catalyst for social change. Volunteer officers from the precinct met with their Pathfinder children and teachers at Cactus View Elementary School, as well as the children's' parents. The benefits of the program are as follows: - Creation of positive relationships between juveniles and police officers in a helpful setting. - Increased effectiveness in the delivery of services and resources to youth and their families. - Enhanced personal growth and development of youth in our precinct. - Development of a working partnership between officer, teachers, students, and families. - Officer development in the area of management, community involvement, leadership, and instruction. [See attached Pathfinder Program addendum.) Nail-Em Peach March - "Nail-Em", a neighborhood activist group, teamed up with the Palomino neighborhood, GITEM and the Desert Horizon Precinct NPO and marched through the "Square" protesting against crime and the criminals who live there. (See attached Peace March Program addendum.) Adult ProbatiOU - Desert Horizon Precinct's NPO Squad has teamed up with Adult Probation to combat probation violators who live in the "Square." Regular meetings are conducted to keep each other informed of their progress. Desert Horizon Precinct's Adopt a Family Chriatmo\$ Pfflgfajn - The Community Action Officers of the Desert Horizon Precinct set up and coordinated the Adopt A Family Christmas Program for 1997. This year, 52 families were invited to the Desert Horizon Precinct's Christmas Adopt a Family Program dinner where they were served turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, rolls and dessert. Santa Claus passed out gifts. This part of the program has been made possible with the help of the Eastern Star Women's Group, Community Business and Neighborhood Block Watch Associations. Cross Roads United Methodist Church, 7901 North Central, provided the facility for December 20,1997, at 12:30 for the Sunnyslope area. Ms. Shirley Arthur, Block Watch leader for the Village People, cooked the dinner and provided the families with love and compassion. The paradise Valley Masonic Lodge \#61 located at 16027 North 25 Street, provided the lodge for Friday, December 19,1997, to serve the Palomino area. The Masonic Lodge assisted in this even by preparing the food and serving it The committees' help with this exciting event includes shopping with each family member listed and wrapping the gifts. The wrapped gifts were picked up by officers of the Desert Horizon Precinct for assortment and delivery to the lodges. (See attached Adopt A Family Program addendum.) DUI Enforcement program - North Resource Bureau partnered with the Neighborhood Police Officer Squad in a DUI Program where two squads of motors, in addition to the Directed Enforcement Squad and Neighborhood Police Officers targeted impaired drivers. On March 27, 1998, at approximately 2000 hours, a command post was set up at 2602 East Bell Road. There was 23 DUI arrests made within an eight-hour period and 77 citations issued. Of those 23 arrests, two were for felonies and 21 were misdemeanors. This program yielded a high number of arrests for a one-square mil e area. (See attached DUI Enforcement Program addendum.) Boys and Girls Club - On October 6,1997 the Boys and Girls Club of Phoenix opened its new club at Greenway Middle School. Because the "Square" has many "at risk" youth, the NPO Squad wrote an action plan to develop an ongoing working relationship with the club and make positive contacts with the youth. (See attached Action Plan addendum.) Palomino Square Gang Round Up- On May 22,1998, Desert Horizon Precinct Neighborhood Police Officers and Directed Enforcement Squad worked in partnership with Organized Crime Bureau's Gang Squad in identifying and arresting gang members to reduce gang-initiated crime in the Palomino area. (See attached Action Plan for details.) Certificate of Recognition for ActiQn inutie FftlQfflina NeipftbQrflPQd - Officers from the .Neighborhood Police Officer Squad received a Certificate of Recognition for their efforts as a member of the Desert Horizon precinct's Neighborhood Police Officer Squad. Each officer is to be commended for their noteworthy accomplishments, tenacity and diligence in continuing their efforts to increase the safety and quality of life in a troubled neighborhood. This certificate of recognition was signed by Chief Dennis Garrett and presented to each officer of the Neighborhood Police Officer Squad by Commander Jack Harris. On January 31, 1997, the six-montti free lease of the sub-station expired. As of that date the NPO Squad totaling 1 sergeant and 7 officers reported the following recap: 196 felony arrests; 287 misdemeanor arrests; 1,939 traffic citations issued; and 19 illegal aliens held for I.N.S. on felony charges. With the listed programs and zero tolerance enforcement deemed a success, the Palomino Alliance and other city agencies wanted to continue the program and use of the satellite office. Neighborhood Services Department stepped up and paid for the apartment for an additional year out of the Rental Renaissance Program Fund. As of May 12,1998, NPO recap is as follows: 272 felony arrests; 378 misdemeanor arrests; 2,691 traffic citations issued; and 23 illegal aliens held for I.N.S. on felony charges. The Palomino Alliance and neighborhood citizens are very happy and pleased with the efforts and accomplishments of the Desert Horizon Precinct's Neighborhood Policing Unit They have commented on how safe they feel living in the "Square" with the gang activity, random violence and property crimes decreased dramatically. # Eight Back III The Palomino area, known as the "Greenway Square", received notification that they were selected for the third Fight Back, which entides them to City of Phoenix grant funding of \$80,000. Now that the funds have been allocated to the Palomino Alliance, committee meetings will be held to discuss where the money should be used. The Alliance expects to use the funds for cleanups, lighting, and other items to ensure safety of the community. In addition to the City grant, the Greenway Square also received a \$250,000 Federal Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Safe Neighborhood Grant. The president of the Palomino Alliance, Tina Snyder, submitted the application and was one of two organizations in Arizona to receive one of the federal grants. The Alliance is one of 73 organizations nation-wide to receive grant funding. The HUD Safe Neighborhood grant will provide funding for - Rent and utilities for the Desert Horizon Precinct sub-station for a year $(\$ 10,800)$ - A full-time prosecutor and rental and utilities cost for an office for one year $(\$ 90,800)$ - A full-time crime abatement officer $(\$ 61,041)$ - Overtime pay for extra police presence $(\$ 30,000)$ - Lighting for area streets and the Paradise Shadows Apartments $(\$ 24,359)$ - Landscaping for Paradise Shadows $(\$ 20,000)$ - Equipment and insurance $(\$ 13,000)$ - English Second Language classes (palomino)