Police Issues Update

1
Police Issues Update

• Arlington Police Department
• May 2006

2
Presentation Overview

• UCR (Uniform Crime Report)
• Homicides
• Fatality Accidents and Reduction Initiatives
• Preparing For The Future

3
Arlingtons UCR History
Change in UCR Part I Crimes
4
2006 UCR Drivers

• Aggravated Assaults
• Burglaries

5
Homicides

• Jan. May 2006 1 homicide
• Jan. May 2005 11 homicides

6
2006 UCR Initiatives

• Violent Crime Reduction Projects
• Nuisance Abatement
• Use of Electronic Sign to Encourage Crime
  Reporting in Chronic High Crime Locations
• Garage Burglary Door Hangers
• PSA (bilingual public service announcements)
• Cross-functional teams with Code, Libraries,
  Parks, Public Works, Fire
• Community Partnerships

7
Fatality Accidents

• During 2005, 36 fatalities occurred in Arlington
• Jan. May 2006 14 fatalitiesJan. May 2005
  13 fatalities
• Last summer (June 1 August 31) a total of 15
  people died on Arlington roads
• Fatality accident reduction initiatives are
  ahigh priority

8
2006 Fatality Accidents Causative Factors
Causative Factors Number of Fatalities
Speeding 6
Failure to Yield 5
Ignoring Traffic Device (red light, stop sign, barricade) 3
Mechanical Failure 2

• (Note some accidents had more than one causative
  factor)

9
Fatality Accidents Major Highways

• During 2005, 30 of fatality accident victims
  died in accidents on one of the three major
  highways (I-20, I-30, 360)
• 50 of 2006 fatality accident victims (7 of 14)
  have died in accidents on I-20, I-30 or 360

10
Fatality Accident Reduction Initiatives

• Decoy cars used alternately with staffed
  traffic units to slow traffic on major highways
• Traffic officer schedules adjusted to provide
  more enforcement during night and weekend hours
  when most fatality accidents occur
• School Resource Officers will supplement Traffic
  during summer
• Spring DWI Task Force May 22 - June 17
• TxDOT Click-It or Ticket Grant will provide
  additional enforcement during Memorial Day
  weekend
• Good Driver Reward Program

11
Red Light Crashes

• 180,000 injuries and 900 deaths occur each year
  as a result of red light violations nationwide
  (Federal Highway Administration)
• Texas ranks fourth highest in red light crash
  fatalities in the nation at 3.5 per 100,000
  residents (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

12
Red Light Crashes - Arlington

• Since 2003 6 fatalities and 1,508 collisions
  have occurred as a result of red light
  violations in Arlington

13
Red Light Enforcement

• Traditional Method
• Where possible, officers are stationed near
  intersections and navigate through traffic to
  stop violators
• Poses dangers to officers during congested
  traffic conditions and is not the most efficient
  method of red light enforcement

14
Photo Enforcement

• This intersection is outside Rockport Heights
  Elementary near St. Louis, Missouri

15
Photo Enforcement

• This is video of the same intersection where a
  red light violator barely misses a school bus
  full of children

16
Photo Enforcement - Effectiveness

• Federal Highway Administration reports a
  nationwide 25 average reduction in right-angle
  crashes after installation of photo enforcement
  systems
• Halo Effect reduces overall number of crashes
  by7-10 in cities where photo enforcement
  systems are installed
• Cities with established programs have cameras at
  1-6 of total signal-controlled intersections

17
Photo Enforcement Systems

• Provides continual enforcement at high-accident
  locations
• Reduces potential for congestion and secondary
  crashes
• Photo Evidence reduces time spent in municipal
  court
• No warrants are issued reducing workload for
  judges/court personnel/officers
• Only about 1 of photo enforced citations are
  contested (national avg.)

18
Photo Enforcement Area Cities

• Area cities using photo enforcement systems
• Garland, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, Denton,
  Frisco
• Area cities considering photo enforcement
  systems
• Dallas, University Park, McKinney, Farmers Branch
• Garland is the only Texas city with sufficient
  enforcement history for analysis

19
Photo Enforcement in Garland

• Garland installed photo enforcement system at 4
  intersections in 2003
• A 16-month study revealed
• total crashes were reduced by 30,
• crashes caused by red light violators were
  reduced 50
• Approximately 45,180 citations were issued last
  year at 4 intersections
• Since inception in 2003, only 25 citations were
  contested
• Installation and operation are revenue positive
• Sources Dallas Morning News/Garland PD website

20
Photo Enforcement - Support

• NATION
• Over 110 U.S. cities in 20 states use photo
  enforcement systems
• STATE
• A May 2005 Zogby poll showed 65 of registered
  Texas voters support the use of photo enforcement
  systems
• ARLINGTON
• A Harris poll in 2001 showed that 74 of
  Arlington drivers favor photo enforcement
  systems
• 2003 Arlington Citizen Satisfaction Survey ranked
  traffic signal violations as a significant concern

21
Top 10 Intersections

• From 2000-2005, intersections where most crashes
  have occurred as a result of red light
  violations
• 5 are on Watson (access to S.H. 360)
• _at_ Six Flags, Abram, Randol Mill, Park Row, Brown
  Blvd.
• 4 are on Cooper Street
• _at_ I-20, Pioneer, Americana, Pleasant Ridge
• 1 is at Pioneer and Matlock
• These 10 Intersections represent 3 of
  Arlingtons 307 signal-controlled intersections

22
Staffing Impact

• Traffic Officers write an average of 3,112
  citations per year
• Statewide, major intersections average 30
  violations per day (Texas Transportation
  Institute)
• Garland averages 26 violations per day (at photo
  enforced intersections)
• Conservatively, 20 citations per day (7,300 per
  year) is the equivalent enforcement power of 2.3
  Traffic officers (for each photo enforced major
  intersection)
• Photo enforcement would allow additional speed
  enforcement on neighborhood streets and major
  highways where 50 of 2006 fatality accidents
  have occurred

23
Revenue Impact

• No capital outlay equipment is owned by vendor
• At 20 citations per day with a 75.00 fine, total
  gross revenue potential per camera is 547,500
• Area cities pay average 5,000 monthly fee per
  camera (installation, photo processing,
  collection, etc.). Contracts can be structured
  differently
• 1 technician, 1 clerk, 1 part-time officer, and
  some overtime funds are needed for administrative
  support
• Annual net revenue from 10 cameras will exceed
  3.8 million

24
Preparing For The Future

• Cowboys Stadium
• Glorypark Development (Steiner/Town Center -
  near Ameriquest Field)
• Lamar/Collins Mixed-Use Development
• Three Bridges Project (Interstate 30)
• The Highlands Shopping Area

25
If You Build It, They Will Come (If They Feel
Safe)

• Public safety, and the perception by the public
  that they are safe, are vital to sustaining
  successful economic development
• Goal Make Arlingtons Entertainment District the
  safest entertainment area in the nation
• Innovative Use of Technology (communications and
  surveillance)
• High Visibility and Accessibility of Officers
  (similar to Fort Worths Sundance Square)
• Cross-departmental Crime Prevention/Reduction
  Initiatives (Neighborhood Integrity Teams,
  Graffiti Abatement, etc.)

26
Emerging Technologies

• We Must Employ Emerging Technologies in our Law
  Enforcement Fight
• Photo Enforcement
• Autocites (automated handheld citation devices)
• Partnership with UTA School of Engineering
• 4.9 WAN (Wide Area Network)
• Video systems (to facilitate effective safety and
  security in the Entertainment District)
• License Plate Recognition (LPR)

27
Impact of Technology on Law Enforcement

• New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are using
  surveillance systems as law enforcement tools
• Surveillance cameras do not eliminate crime
  they tend to displace crime
• As more area cities begin using cameras, crime
  will be displaced to cities that do not use
  cameras

28
Deep Ellum (Dallas)

• Meadows Foundation donated 840,000 for 34
  cameras to be placed in Downtown Dallas
• Dallas Police report a 9 crime reduction in Deep
  Ellum after 16 cameras were installed through a
  grant from Virtual Surveillance of Plano in
  December 2004
• A field trip to visit the Dallas Command
  Centercan be scheduled

29
Staffing Current Assumptions

• Our current staffing model assumes
• Proactive Time 45 - Encumbered Time 55
• Time on Call (committed) 60 minutes
• Calls For Service (CFS) Growth 3 Annually
• Annual Attrition of 36
• Two Academy Classes (48 per year)

30
Staffing Needs

• Workload Increase (12 officers) for FY 2006-07 -
  Workload expected to increase 5 in 2007-08
  and 2008-09
• Response to Vehicle Burglaries (8 officers) -
  Reports taken only by phone since May 2003 -
  Most common citizen complaint other than Traffic
• DWI/Traffic Enforcement Package (8 officers and
  1 sergeant) - Unit will specialize in DWI
  enforcement - 40 of fatalities since 2000 are
  alcohol-related

31
DWI/Traffic Enforcement Unit

• Austin PD has seen a 25 reduction in
  alcohol-related fatality accidents since
  inception of unit
• DWI Officers - Streamline DWI arrest processing
  - Assist with Accident Investigation - Will
  write some citations (1/3 of regular Traffic
  Ofcr.)
• Impact on Municipal Court - 8 DWI officers will
  increase court workload 10 - Additional
  workload requires additional Court
  personnel - Deputy Court Clerks (2) and
  Part-Time Judge (1)

32
Timeline Impact
Cost Camera Revenue Net Revenue
Workload (12) 1.0 million
Vehicle Burglary Resp. (8) 675,000
DWI/Traffic (9 partial yr.) including Court personnel 660,000
Total FY 07 2.3 million 2.3 million -0-
Workload (15) 1.3 million
South Station (partial yr.) 400,000
Total FY 08 1.7 million 3.9 million 2.2 million
Workload (15) 1.3 million
South Station (full yr.) 1.1 million
Total FY 09 2.4 million 3.9 million 1.4 million
TOTALS FY 07-09 6.1 million 9.7 million 3.6 million
Assumes Photo Enforcement Go-Live by February
2007 with 30 day grace period
33
Partnerships Citizen Groups

• Citizens Police Academy (CPA)
• 39th English session and 11th Spanish session
  completed
• Community Watch Groups (CWG)
• 133 active groups citywide
• 30 new groups since last quarter
• All 27 beats contain at least one active CWG
• Citizens on Patrol Groups (COP)
• 14 active groups

34
Cross-Departmental Projects

• Preparing for Arlingtons future requires
  comprehensive planning that crosses the Citys
  departmental boundaries
• Surplus Photo Enforcement Revenue could be
  designated for several cooperative projects
  impacting crime prevention and reduction
• Neighborhood Integrity Team Personnel
• Graffiti Abatement
• Reinvigorating Neighborhoods Initiatives

35
Recommendations

• We return to Council to discuss proposal for
  photo enforcement pilot project at 10 most
  dangerous intersections
• Use net revenue to
• 1. Resume Patrol response to Vehicle Burglaries
• 2. Facilitate effective safety and security in
  the Entertainment District and citywide through
• Emerging Technologies
• Adequate Staffing
• Workload Increases
• DWI/Special Enforcement Traffic Unit
• Fund new positions required for South Police
  District
• 3. Cross-Departmental Initiatives Impacting Crime
  Prevention and Reduction including Parks,
  Libraries, and Code Enforcement Programs
• 4. Enhance Citizen on Patrol Programs

36
QUESTIONS?