California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Spring Magazine_Final | Page 34

opportunity to have input and speak with clarity. "We wanted our role in these meetings to be more than a lecture from officers or a series of complaints by community members," said Chief Mills, "We wanted this to be highly productive. These meetings were to begin an open dialogue with the citizens of this city about how they believe SCPD should police the city with their assistance." SCPD is committed to crime-fighting effectiveness. Working shoulder to shoulder with the community is essential to our success. The town hall series rolled out with an agenda and interactive, highly visible activities that kept participants engaged in a positive format. Well over a thousand residents completed the meeting series in five distinct zones; Upper/Lower West Side, Upper/Lower East Side, and Downtown. Each of the sessions was well-attended. It became very apparent right away that the residents and business owners in each area have unique concerns, and necessitated a separate response to each community. The Department has chosen to use the philosophy of Problem Oriented Policing to reduce crime and control unique problems, and this community is part of that plan. The Town Hall Meetings all happened between 34 California Police Chief | www.californiapolicechiefs.org October 9th and October 25th, 2018. SCPD advertised the five meetings by using a social media campaign and posting flyers at businesses and community centers. Each Town Hall Meeting featured five large posters labeled with categories of crime. VIOLENT CRIME – PROPERTY CRIME – NUISANCE CRIME – TRAFFIC - DRUGS Attendees used a system of color-coded stickers to indicate the type and location of criminal activities in their neighborhood most important to them. SCPD Administration circulated through the crowds, engaging citizens and keeping the agenda moving and people engaged. By the end of the meeting, citizens had created an unmistakable visual message of priority to the SCPD. Additionally, attendees had the direct opportunity to meet and converse with the officers, and get to know their neighbors. The information was collected, tallied and recorded as a valuable component in future police department policing strategies. The feedback from these meetings was clear; Santa Cruz neighborhoods want a police department that is communicative, approachable, and attentive. Many spoke of a department that is open and transparent. In this one hour format, community members walked away satisfied