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Frenchtown Neighborhood First Plan | Neighborhood Safety & Crime Prevention

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This priority area addresses the enhancement of physical elements of the neighborhood to enhance public safety and the strengthening of relationship with law enforcement through partnerships.

Goal:Create a safe, socially productive and viable environment for residents through the revitalization of the Frenchtown community. 

Outcome:Residents are actively engaged in crime prevention efforts to foster a greater sense of safety.  

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 1:
Unsafe Spaces that Contribute to Criminal Activity.

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Many images of police in the community

Outcome:  Frenchtown residents are using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) techniques, practices and methods to better protect (target harden) their homes, property and businesses from crime.  

Action Item NS&CP 1.1.1: Provide free or low-cost maintenance of trees and landscaping for residents who could otherwise not afford it to encourage target hardening of homes.

Potential Partners:Frenchtown Community Action Team, A New Directions Program, Inc., local lawn maintenance businesses, City of Tallahassee (Housing and Community Resilience)

Action Item NS&CP 1.1.2: Identify creative uses for vacant structures and lots within the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (Housing and Community Resilience; Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs; Real Estate)

Action Item NS&CP 1.1.3: Conduct or update the street lighting survey for the neighborhood and enhance/install, where warranted, additional street lighting fixtures. Prioritize Goodbread.

Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (Electric Utility; Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs)

Action Item NS&CP 1.1.4: Maintain existing open/recreational spaces and vacant lots throughout the neighborhood in a CPTED compliant manner.

Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (TPD; Housing and Community Resilience), Green Faith Alliance, LCSO, Frenchtown Community Action Team
[Cross Reference with Placemaking and Neighborhood Image, Economic Development and Community Reinvestment]

Action Item NS&CP 1.1.5: Promote maintenance of trees and landscaping to prevent crime through educational literature, social media, and partnerships with TPD.

Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee (TPD,Housing and Community Resilience), LCSO

 

NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERN 2:
Negative Perception of Police Presence and Engagement

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Outcome: Police and residents have opportunities to develop positive relationships and a sense of partnership, as well as establish programs that promote safety and a better understanding of crime-related data are available to residents. 

Strategy NS&CP 2.1: Educate residents about neighborhood safety and crime prevention.

Police cruiser

Action Item NS&CP 2.1.1: Update residents about crimes occurring in Frenchtown at regular neighborhood meetings.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD; Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Public Safety Collective

Action Item NS&CP 2.1.2: Partner with businesses and non-profit organizations to host public safety workshops in the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD; Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Public Safety Collective, area schools, area churches, businesses

Action Item NS&CP 2.1.3: Identify and encourage various residents to participate in the TPD Ride-A-Long program, TPD Citizen’s Academy, TFD Citizen’s Academy, and the Titans Program offered by A New Directions Program Inc.

Potential Partners: City of Tallahassee(TPD, TFD), Leon County Sheriff’s Office, community service agencies, A New Directions Program Inc., Frenchtown Community Action Team

Action Item NS&CP 2.1.4: Provide training to at-risk youth and parents about the criminal justice system, civic education, civil rights, etc.

Potential Partners: North Florida Legal Services, A New Directions Program Inc., Florida Justice Program, Frenchtown Community Action Team, Frenchtown Revitalization Council

Strategy NS&CP 2.2: Increase opportunities for youth to positively engage and connect with law enforcement.

Action Item NS&CP 2.2.1: Develop and implement a Neighborhood Safety & Crime Prevention mentor and volunteer program to work with middle and high school students with interest in a law enforcement career. Collaborate with area schools to see if children participating in the program could receive school credit.

Potential Partners: Leon County School Board, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO, Public Safety Collective, Frenchtown Community Action Team

Action Item NS&CP 2.2.2: Distribute information and recruit participants for TPD’s youth programs (Explorers, RAD kids, Youth Citizen's Police Academy, McGruff the Crime Dog) at area schools, neighborhood meetings, and events. Involve parents and caregivers. Connect participants to other mentors.

Potential Partners: Leon County School Board, City of Tallahassee (TPD), Public Safety Collective, Frenchtown Community Action Team

Action Item NS&CP 2.2.3: Develop scholarships to support neighborhood youth to train for public safety careers.

Potential Partners: Leon County School Board, City of Tallahassee (TPD, TFD), LCSO, Public Safety Collective, Frenchtown Community Action Team

Action Item NS&CP 2.2.4: Establish sports leagues/events that partner youth with law enforcement personnel.

Potential Partners:Frenchtown Community Action Team, Public Safety Collective,City of Tallahassee (TPD; Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), LCSO, Public Safety Collective, sporting goods retailers, after-school program providers, local churches

Strategy NS&CP 2.3: Establish partnerships with local law enforcement agencies.

Neighborhood Watch

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.1: Establish a Neighborhood Crime Watch, including the identification of a block captain for each block (especially “hot spot” areas) within the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), Public Safety Collective, LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, Tallahassee Urban League

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.2: Send neighborhood representatives to the Public Safety Collective meetings to provide updates on Neighborhood Safety and Crime Prevention efforts.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, Public Safety Collective

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.3: Host an implicit bias workshop and empathy building trainings with residents and assigned Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) squad. Provide similar training to public defenders, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners.

Potential Partners: Public Safety Collective,City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, Frenchtown Community Action Team

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.4: Meet with members of the Public Safety Collective to discuss procedures and methods for legal processing of at-risk youth and offenders.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, Public Safety Collective, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.5: Develop and implement criminal justice programs that provide an alternate pathway for young people and adults facing criminal offenses, including preventative programs.

Potential Partners:Frenchtown Community Action Team, Public Safety Collective, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, A New Directions Program Inc., Children’s Home Society, Capital City Youth Services

Action Item NS&CP 2.3.6: Develop and implement a restorative justice program that includes training, elder circles and alternatives to prevent/curb incarceration and detention.

Potential Partners:Public Safety Collective, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, A New Directions Program Inc., NAACP, Big Bend Re-entry Coalition, Frenchtown Community Action Team

Strategy NS&CP 2.4: Work with members of the Public Safety Collective to promote and enhance community-policing efforts.

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.1: Collaborate with TPD to identify additional locations for the installation of surveillance cameras in Frenchtown.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), Tallahassee Urban League

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.2: Host activities that provide opportunity for law enforcement and residents to positively interact. (ex: Operation Safe Neighborhoods, Clippers with Cops, etc.)

Potential Partners:Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.3: Distribute information (brochures, fliers, emails, etc.) about TPD’s Residential Surveys at various businesses, churches, non-profits, and community centers within the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD)

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.4: Lobby TPD for increased neighborhood patrolling, including bicycle patrols.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.5: Work with TPD to increase officer recruitment in and from the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), LCSO, Tallahassee Urban League

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.6: Work with the City to create an Officer in Residence program for the Frenchtown neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD)

Action Item NS&CP 2.4.7: Work with convenience store owners in Frenchtown to mitigate the criminal nuisance environment that these establishments can foster.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), local convenience store owners/operators

Strategy NS&CP 2.5: Engage and educate neighborhood residents and stakeholders (churches, schools, business owners, landlords) on crime reporting, fire prevention, and personal safety techniques.

Action Item NS&CP 2.5.1: Install Neighborhood Watch signage at key locations in the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD), Tallahassee Urban League

Action Item NS&CP 2.5.2: Host a Public Safety Fair in the neighborhood.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs; TPD; TFD; Housing and Community Resilience), LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, local businesses, Tallahassee Urban League, Frenchtown Neighborhood Improvement Association, non-profits

Action Item NS&CP 2.5.3: Host safety and security trainings for houses of worship and religious meetings.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee (TPD; TFD), LCSO, Big Bend Crime Stoppers, local churches

Action Item NS&CP 2.5.4: Establish a Neighborhood Response Team to assist with resident education on natural and hazardous disasters.

Potential Partners: Frenchtown Community Action Team, City of Tallahassee, (Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs), Leon County EMS