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Community Safety Plans

In 2022, the Phoenix City Council approved new funding for a collaborative, multi-department program to address community safety concerns along the I-17 corridor. The Phoenix Community Safety Plans (CSP) leverage technology and community-based resources to improve the safety and quality of life along 19th and 27th avenues, adjacent to the I-17, and along Hatcher Road in west Sunnyslope. 

ASU Study of the Community Safety Plans

The City collaborated with Arizona State University (ASU) to study the CSP focus areas pre and post-intervention. The success of the CSPs was measured through goals and desired outcomes established by ASU, based on feedback from City departments and Community Committees that were established to provide City staff with input on the implementation of the CSPs.

Mission

A City Manager's Office coordinated multi-department effort to enhance public safety within the defined Community Safety Plan areas.

Goals

1. Improve the perceived safety of area residents, businesssesm patrons and students.

2. Improve processes for outreach and referrals for those seeking services.

3. Reduce the incidents impacting community safety.

Strategies and Interventions

Build and maintain relationships with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to improve the safety around buildings and public spaces.

Interventions:

  • Create and implement a SafePHX Program for corridor businesses to participate in to prevent property crimes and further expand the scope of the Real Time Operations Center. 
  • Collaborate with community initiatives and developments along the corridors to create and maintain safe public spaces.
  • Work with PHX C.A.R.E.S. on focus areas within the corridor to identify solutions to proactively prevent encampments from forming (​e.g. overpasses/underpasses, gating, street lighting, transit stops, community education, signage). 
  • Coordinate with area partners to conduct community cleanups within the focus area.
  • Conduct arterial reviews within the focus areas for common blight violations to proactively address issues.

Improve processes for outreach and referrals for those seeking services to increase primary care and substance use treatment in the focus areas. 

Interventions:

  • Coordinate outreach events/projects through the Office of Homeless Solutions, PHX C.A.R.E.S., Community Assistance Program, Phoenix Police Department, and appropriate departments to residents experiencing homelessness, mental or behavioral health issues to improve referrals to health and social services. 
  • Coordinate community agency roundtables with area service providers to establish new partnerships and increase access to substance use treatment and harm reduction resources. 
  • Collaborate with the City's Human Trafficking Task Force to deploy a public education campaign on the harmful effects and penalties of the solicitation of sex within the 27th Avenue focus area.

Proactively address community issues and concerns by providing the community with information on resources and services and actively working with the community to identify solutions and inform the service approach.

Interventions:

  • Promote Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) within the focus areas ensuring residents and businesses are educated on CPTED principles.
  • Educate and train the community and CSP partners on the criminal justice process, victim impact statements, being good witnesses, etc.
  • Provide education to residents and businesses about non-fatal and fatal overdose data and the use of Narcan/Naloxone.
  • Provide Gated Alley Program informational presentations at neighborhood meetings. Educate residents about the program and process to request gates. Provide technical assistance as needed. 
  • Identify graffiti hot spots along corridor arterials to proactively discourage recidivism by removing graffiti as soon as possible.
  • Provide focused community education on Graffiti Busters and reporting tools to empower neighborhood leaders and residents to quickly report graffiti.
  • Upgrade streetlight wattage or install new streetlights in areas with prostitution.

Reduce violent crime and quality of life offenses through the Phoenix Police Department's use of Real Time Operations Centers in conjunction with field operations and criminal investigations.

Interventions:

  • Create an ongoing directory of properties with the highest, or increasing, levels of criminal/code compliance activity to address issues through a coordinated approach involving Police, Neighborhood Services, and Community Prosecutors.
  • Establish a Real Time Operations Center, and field operations process, to respond to calls for service and criminal investigations.
  • Work with internal and external partners to provide increased police operations to strategically address the most violent and repeat offenders.
  • Increased Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit operations along 27th Avenue.