M E M O R A N D U M
TO: Members of City Council
FROM: Newman Aguiar – Co-Chair
Brooke Whiteford – Co-Chair
Partners Against Crime, District 2
DATE: Monday, April 01, 2002
SUBJECT: The need for additional officers on the streets of District 2 neighborhoods.
On behalf of the residents of District 2, we request your help in addressing our urgent need for additional police officers on the streets of our neighborhoods. The recent sexual assaults have shaken our sense of safety; nevertheless, they have served to heighten our community’s resolve to make our neighborhoods inhospitable to crime. As citizens, we are doing the utmost to stay engaged by partnering with the police department, as well as with public and private organizations, to combat crime. In spite of our efforts and the efforts of the police department, over the past few months many of our neighborhoods have seen steady increases in crime. Creating a visible police presence in our neighborhoods, something that is seriously lacking, is necessary to restore our sense of safety. Summer is soon approaching and we urge you to take immediate action to ensure that a visible police presence is created and maintained in our neighborhoods.
On February 1, 2001, the number of beats in District 2 was reduced from nine to eight. The removal of beat 211 included the loss of some area, four officers and a police car. At that time, residents were informed that the loss of beat 211 was temporary. Residents supported the creation of the new downtown district, District 5 (which included areas that were previously part of District 1 and District 2), and understood that beat 211 would be restored as soon as resources were allocated for the new district. Consequently, District 2 residents did not voice any objection to this temporary loss of beat 211.
Recently, residents have been informed by the Police Department that beat 211 has been removed permanently. Further, it has been stated that any belief on the part of District 2 residents that the removal of beat 211 was temporary is the result of a misunderstanding. The Police Department justified this permanent removal of beat 211 by the fact that the area which previously comprised beat 211 was now part of District 5. Consequently, the officers and police car that serviced this area were appropriately transferred to District 5. Volunteers from District 2 Partners Against Crime (PAC2) obtained maps of District 2 from the Durham Police Department that depict the beats as they appeared before and after February 1, 2001 (see, Attachments 1 and 2). Attachment 3, a map identifying the change in the area comprising District 2 after February 1, 2001, was prepared from Attachments 1 and 2. A cursory scan of Attachment 3 refutes any argument that suggests that the removal of area transferred to District 5 justifies the removal of beat 211. Additionally, it should be noted that a substantial portion of the area removed from District 2, Duke’s East Campus, was not serviced by the officers of beat 211.
Figure 1
Other reasons have since been put forward by the Police Department in an effort to justify the permanent removal of beat 211. For instance, the removal has been attributed to the reallocation of resources resulting from a Resource Allocation Study that was conducted by the Police Department as part of the redistricting process. However, when PAC2 volunteers considered the number of reported Part I Crimes in District 2 for January 2001 (see Figure 1), the number of incidents reported for beats 211 and 212 were above the average for District 2. After the creation of District 5, the remainder of beat 211 was merged into beat 212. A comparison of reported crimes for beat 212 between January 2001 and January 2002 reveals a 58% (33 incidents) increase (see Figure 1). This dramatic increase in the number of reported incidents resulting from the removal of beat 211 translates into a significant reduction of service for the residents.
Figure 2
District 2 has seen an overall reduction in crime over the past year; however, while a few beats in District 2 have seen dramatic reductions in crime, most of the beats have actually experienced increases in crime. In January 2002, six of the eight beats experienced increases in the number of reported Part I crimes compared to January 2001 (see Figure 1). Similarly, in February 2002, four of the eight beats in District 2 experienced increases (see Figure 2). More importantly, the data show a concentrated increase in crime within the area between I-85 and NC 147 (“the Loop”). Beats 212 and 213 comprise most of the area within the Loop. Beat 212 includes the neighborhoods of Old North Durham, Duke Park, Trinity Park, Walltown and Trinity Heights. Beat 213 includes the neighborhoods of Old West Durham and Watts Hospital-Hillandale. Comparing the number of reported incidents in 2002 with the same period in 2001, beat 212 saw increases of 58% and 12% for January 2002 and February 2002, respectively. Similarly, beat 213 saw increases of 9% and 30%, for January and February, respectively. If last year’s crime patterns (see Figure 3) are any indication of what District 2 residents can expect this year, an increased police presence on District 2 streets is an urgent necessity.
Figure 3
During the March 18, 2002 PAC2 meeting, Major Tiffin sought input from District 2 residents for a new comprehensive Resource Allocation Study for the Durham Police Department which will include community participation, a component that has been lacking in previous allocation studies. The residents of District 2 applaud the Police Department’s efforts to involve the community in this process and we are confident that this collaborative effort will produce a study that is fair and equitable to all residents of the City of Durham. However, it should be noted that the allocation study will not address the urgent need for additional officers on the streets of the neighborhoods in District 2; it simply reallocates existing resources that are already severely limited. Furthermore, the initial results are not expected for a couple of months and will not be considered in this year’s budget.
Many of the neighborhoods in beats 212 and 213 are fragile and, if immediate action is not taken to restore the residents’ sense of safety, the increasing crime that our neighborhoods continue to experience could have a devastating effect on property values and, consequently, on the City’s tax base. The residents of these neighborhoods are actively involved in the community and are working tirelessly in partnership with the Police Department, as well as with public and private organizations, to create a safe living environment. However, since the beginning of this year, the residents of neighborhoods in beat 212 have been victims of a disproportionately large number of the Part I crimes in District 2, particularly Residential B&E, Vehicle B&E and Vehicle Theft (see Attachment 4), not to mention the recent rash of sexual assaults. Many residents have experienced a loss of their sense of safety in the aftermath of the recent events and that sense of safety must be restored post haste. Many of our residents cherish the experience of walking, jogging and biking on the streets of our beautiful neighborhoods. The unique attributes of these neighborhoods give Durham its character and have made them nationally recognized as attractive places to live. In order to maintain the quality of life in our neighborhoods, our streets must be safe enough for residents to walk, jog, or bike and a visible police presence will go a long way in enabling us to continue these healthy practices. While the addition of beat officers will not eliminate crime from District 2, over time it will help restore our community’s sense of safety.
P.S. Data was obtained from District 2 Part I Crimes reports compiled with assistance from the District 2 substation and a Duke volunteer and analyzed by PAC2 volunteers.
Attachments
- Map of District 2 before 2/1/01
- Map of District 2 after 2/1/01
- Map of District 2 marked to show changes between Attachments 1 and 2
- Graphs of District 2 Part I crimes for January and February 2002 by beat
