09-21>9-23-2001 City Council Retreat

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MEMORANDUM CHIEF �P pOR7- Richard E. Reff, Chief of Police _4 La Porte Police Department Ootic� 915 S. 8'h Street LaPorte, Texas 77571 TEX (281) 4713810 To: John Joerns, Asst. City Manager From: Richard Reff, Police Chief Date: 08/26/01 Subject: Status Report on Northside Community Neighborhood Plan The Police Department has stepped it's narcotic trafficking enforcement by utilizing Officers from the Baytown Police, the Harris County Organized Crime and Narcotic Task Force, the Galveston County Sheriffs Office, and is working to further establish relationships with other surrounding agencies to develop a "pool" of undercover officers. In conjunction to this we have worked to maintain a presence through our Bike Patrol program. The Green Oaks Apartments have hired two officers to work off duty within the Apartment Complex to assist in addressing the drug issue in the complex. We have received favorable reports from citizens that there is a marked decrease in narcotic trafficking. We are also looking at presenting an ordinance before council that will make it a violation to solicit for narcotics. This ordinance will assist us in targeting the persons who drive through the neighborhoods trying to buy narcotics. We will have to be very careful of enforcing this ordinance and will develop strategies that will not run us afoul of the new Racial Profiling Law. Through water billing and the news we have asked for those who wish to desire a Neighborhood Watch Program to contact us. This was done not specifically for the Northside but to include the rest of the City as it is applicable to the entire Community. We did not receive any responses from the Northside area and have begun to develop programs in the areas that have requested them. Officer Richard Ayers is planning to meet with the Northside Community Civic Association and will attempt to contact various community leaders in the community to attempt to start a program in the area. The Green Oaks Apartments have indicated that they would be interested in such a program but did not respond to our request. As we know that they are interested, Officer Ayers will follow up on that project. The community indicated that there was a fear of retaliation if they actively participated with the Police in dealing with issues in the Northside. We have published and will continue to publish our TIP line 281-842-0475 for person to call. In addition I have contacted the Bay Area Crime Stoppers Program to determine our status. 1 found that we were not active members and immediately advised them that we would become active. The Bay Area Crime Stoppers have forwarded a contract for us to become active members effective October 1, 2001. This contract will be presented to the City Council on September 10, 2001. Bay Area Crime Stoppers advised that they will immediately process any Crime Stopper Tips and forward them to us immediately. We will begin a formal notification campaign with the Community on October 1, 2001. The Bay Area Crime Stoppers program is a certified State program and the number is now a local number, 281-480-8477. We are additionally supportive of the La Porte High School Crime Stopper Program which is operated under the Baytown Crime Stopper program. With the State Crime Stopper Programs there are protections placed in effect that protect the identity of the caller and 6.12