Historical June 1984 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl, Jr. has announced a decrease in crime for the nine Operation SafeStreet target neighborhoods where the program was initiated last January 1.
The statistics are for the period from January 1 through March 31, 1984 and show a noticeable decline in crime rates in the target neighborhoods.
In these areas, residential burglary has dropped 25.5% since the same period last year, while city-wide the burglary rate dropped by 9.3%. Robbery in the target areas is down 32.9%, compared to 29.0% city-wide.
In the Operation SafeStreet neighborhoods, assaults have declined by 31.4%, while assaults have declined city-wide by 12.4%. Larcenies declined 31.5%, as compared to 18.7% city-wide. Schoemehl said that one full year of comparing statistics is needed to show a totally accurate comparison, but that initial data indicates that the program is working. “These results show that involved citizens can have an impact on crime in their neighborhoods. Operation SafeStreet gives citizens the help they need to combat crime,” Schoemehl said. “To date, almost 1200 homes have been secured by SafeStreet crews and no break-ins have occurred in these homes,” Schoemehl noted. Lu Green, Director of Operation Safe Street, said that she was encouraged by public response to the program. “We have recruited 246 block captains to cover the 298 blocks in the target areas,” she commented.
In addition to the home security and block captain efforts, Operation Safe Street has held 55 Neighborhood Watch meetings, mailed two newsletters to all target area residents and closed or changed changed traffic patterns on streets in six areas.
The nine neighborhoods in Phase I of Operation SafeStreet are Skinker DeBaliviere, Cathedral Square, Fountain Park, The Ville, O’Fallon, Fox Park, Shaw, Tiffany and LaSalle Park.
The five SafeStreet programs being implemented in the nine target areas are: Project Porchlight; where residents are asked to turn their porchlights on from dusk to dawn, Project Home Security; here SafeStreet crews install locks, basement window bars, pin first floor windows, install basement door barricades, install smoke alarms and a peep hole in the front door.
The work costs $150 for the package, but is free for seniors or handicapped persons. Project Quiet Street: Street patterns are changed to add a sense of community and make it easier for residents to identify strangers and suspicious occurrences. Neighborhood Watch: Trains residents to be on the lookout for suspicious activities in their neighborhood and report them to the police.
The final and perhaps the most important program is the SafeStreet Newsletter which establishes a viable communication network with the residents of the target areas and provides for feedback from the community. Full implementation of all programs in each area will not be complete until June 30. Phase II, which will expand the program to nine additional neighborhoods, will begin July 1.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1984.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Three-month before/after crime statistics are the mayor’s attributed report, not independent proof that the program caused the changes. Printed changed repeated in traffic-pattern sentence retained.
Original source: SD_Times1984_06.pdf, printed page(s) 8; PDF page(s) 8.
