HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/11/2012 06 Downtown Public Safety Update Discussion fir
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No.
For Meeting of: September 11, 2012
l -
ITEM TITLE: Discussion regarding Downtown Public Safety Update
SUBMITTED BY:
CONTACT
PERSON /TELEPHONE:
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Resolution Ordinance Other
(specify)
Contract: Mail to:
Contract Term: Amount: Expiration Date:
Insurance Required? No
Funding Phone:
Source:
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL: City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Click to download
❑ crime stats
❑ DT police bike patrol
,„ ,
1 I Map I Sr Alla I H,0 d j T.an I
r
i . ,.,..1 ot.I. .,.
b i
..
X
i
.,. ., -. I' '' 4 L
r I
r. 4 I....
la
{ 1. •.1 0 .6 f t 1 ,
t
0
.: •It s ,./.. '. C• i
El
4.: a
i V
; 1 . • a° '' ,
.■• •"') a
, .: ...
. 0 0.■•' , ..
I , :1,
t .
e
.: .
. o A 1. 0.** 1 ", 0 , ., it•••• 0
• l
l t . ... ''.,..:;, . V I..."
S
o
t \
,..S. 0
S .
n..
t3 i
1. •
I . Ti. V:
. V+ 1,
y
I t, , e.
S c -
i -' • 5
■
.7., .i• v
.....,.49, ,-..4
u, f
,......,-
... ''. ..
t 9
a: ■ C‘ . . 9.
..• .•
'
- 114 41 Sr .. c.
0 .
I i :. -.." .7t .
1: I. ' '1' •u f.,
! , x
.
. I . 1 r... 53 0 ..:.,
A
4%.' ‘ k 1 ., .'% '-:: i
. cr '
! .
If• %)
!. i
5.
.
,.'' ...
o'"'''
L 1 ,
0 ., ,'' 2
.•. .,.,-', ., , _ m.p...........2 oi • .;
Robberies
3/5/2012-9/5/2012
West Downtown:
5
East Downtown:
7
Total: 12
,.‘,'''' 0. . 1.11 ... • . ' - - - Tr .i - 1
i 64 S
I 4 " U - 141 iji
,:.. 64, ,– " 1 141
U
.. 4 ... -_.
U , .-: 0
U
c'. ".' / t 1.,
, 3 ,
U . - ..
'
...D ., 4 4 ' ' c■-'''"` , ..-. :
1 U ,
U U / ,.
„
o
1 ,..-
' •:.,,,
. .:
i
1 4." , i , U
-- '1.4 '4, ., ..,, '' ''''' r*,,, . '' '4 . •
I. cr , . — . „ \
1. u; ii "
131 1 ‘ 'n -, a
, , " la , Jo
, u 'Ia-- 1 r osaji I . •e: U1 „
''
't
'U
9
LP
• , t. • '''' '3 ‘
,,...t. 4" . ''s i •13"5, .L1' " 14 "
,/
- f :- 140 u U -
4 Li co" 'a
t IR, k
II .. G.
-0' LC • u Et u a
1 : 3 CV' ' 1
f I ,
a
u
,,,, , U
I : 141 , U ,
1 u 13 ,,,,,'' „ 0 . . r 141 ,,....'
4 0 i..
c e . , i. ,„ 9 '‘I
.,
, ILI
0
0 , . 3 tv . 9 4 i • 9 CI
a 1-41 1 1-4
a g41' .,
. u ‘‘..4s 'i
1 1,:V.„---LI3T-1 4 s'.. _ ':'• "
•44./tqc9:2v.,4- .
. —
Burglaries
3/5/2012-9/5/2012
West Downtown:
25
East Downtown:
36
Total: 61
Burglaries are mostly clustered the residential housing areas of downtown.
City of Yakima
NEWS RELEASE
Subject: Downtown Police Bike Patrol
Contact: YPD Captain Rod Light — 576 -6393
Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler — 901 -1142
Release Date: Thursday, September 6th, 2012
Survey Results Prompt Revival of Downtown Police Bike Patrol
One of the key findings of the 2012 Yakima Citizen Survey that the Yakima City Council focused
on during its retreat in late August showed that some Yakima residents don't feel as safe as
they would like to in the downtown area, particularly after dark. During the August 28 retreat,
Council members expressed concern that the negative perception that some people have of
Downtown Yakima may be hurting business development as well as attendance at nighttime
special events in the commercial core of the city.
In response to that concern, and in an effort to enhance the sense of safety downtown, the
Yakima Police Department ( "YPD ") will launch a pilot bike patrol program for this month's First
Friday event during the evening of September 7th
"Simply having officers on bikes patrolling the downtown will establish a more visible police
presence, and that in itself will create a greater sense of safety," said YPD Captain Rod Light.
"The survey results indicated that we needed to put together a plan to help people feel confident
that they can come downtown and enjoy themselves. Initiating a bike patrol is something we
were able to do quickly in order to help kick off that effort," said Light.
This Friday's bike patrol will include two YPD officers. City Manager Tony O'Rourke also plans
to tag along with the bike patrol officers for part of the evening.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the YPD operated a bike patrol unit which specifically
focused on the downtown area. The unit was particularly effective in stemming criminal activity
related to drugs that was going on in Downtown Yakima at the time and in dealing with issues
that resulted from people who were "Cruising the Ave" in cars. However, the YPD bike patrol
unit was disbanded several years ago due to a shift in focus by the department coupled with a
lack of funding.
The renewed pilot program for the bike patrol will include the September 7 First Friday event
and likely another First Friday event later this fall. If the pilot program proves successful, it may
return as a regular service provided by the YPD in the spring of 2013.
"We looking forward to seeing what the reaction is by the public to the bike patrol during the pilot
program and then determine if it should be initiated on a more regular basis and in what form,"
said Light. "We'll make those decisions after we see how it goes this fall."
- end -