Police Issues Update Arlington Police Department May 2006

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

Arlington’s UCR History % Change in UCR Part I Crimes % % % % %

2006 UCR Drivers u Aggravated Assaults u Burglaries % 5 Yr. 17% % 5 Yr. Avg. 20%

Homicides Jan. – May 2006: 1 homicide Jan. – May 2005: 11 homicides %

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

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

2006 Fatality Accidents – Causative Factors (Note: some accidents had more than one causative factor) Causative Factors Number of Fatalities Speeding6 Failure to Yield5 Ignoring Traffic Device (red light, stop sign, barricade) 3 Mechanical Failure2

Fatality Accidents – Major Highways u During 2005, 30% of fatality accident victims died in accidents on one of the three major highways (I-20, I-30, 360) u 50% of 2006 fatality accident victims (7 of 14) have died in accidents on I-20, I-30 or 360

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

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

Red Light Crashes - Arlington Since 2003: 6 fatalities and 1,508 collisions have occurred as a result of red light violations in Arlington

Red Light Enforcement u 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

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

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

Photo Enforcement - Effectiveness u Federal Highway Administration reports a nationwide 25% average reduction in right-angle crashes after installation of photo enforcement systems u “Halo Effect” reduces overall number of crashes by 7-10% in cities where photo enforcement systems are installed u Cities with established programs have cameras at 1-6% of total signal-controlled intersections

Photo Enforcement Systems u Provides continual enforcement at high-accident locations u Reduces potential for congestion and secondary crashes u 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.)

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

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

Photo Enforcement - Support u NATION: –Over 110 U.S. cities in 20 states use photo enforcement systems u STATE: –A May 2005 Zogby poll showed 65% of registered Texas voters support the use of photo enforcement systems u 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

u From , intersections where most crashes have occurred as a result of red light violations: –5 are on Watson (access to S.H. Six Flags, Abram, Randol Mill, Park Row, Brown Blvd. –4 are on Cooper I-20, Pioneer, Americana, Pleasant Ridge –1 is at Pioneer and Matlock u These 10 Intersections represent 3% of Arlington’s 307 signal- controlled intersections Top 10 Intersections Brown Six Flags Randol Mill Abram Park Row Pioneer Matlock Pleasant Ridge I- 20 Americana

Staffing Impact u Traffic Officers write an average of 3,112 citations per year u Statewide, major intersections average 30 violations per day (Texas Transportation Institute) ; u Garland averages 26 violations per day (at photo enforced intersections) u 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) u Photo enforcement would allow additional speed enforcement on neighborhood streets and major highways where 50% of 2006 fatality accidents have occurred

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

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

“If You Build It, They Will Come” (If They Feel Safe) u Public safety, and the perception by the public that they are safe, are vital to sustaining successful economic development u Goal: Make Arlington’s 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 Worth’s Sundance Square) –Cross-departmental Crime Prevention/Reduction Initiatives (Neighborhood Integrity Teams, Graffiti Abatement, etc.)

Emerging Technologies u 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)

Impact of Technology on Law Enforcement u New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are using surveillance systems as law enforcement tools u Surveillance cameras do not eliminate crime – they tend to displace crime u As more area cities begin using cameras, crime will be displaced to cities that do not use cameras

Deep Ellum (Dallas) u Meadows Foundation donated $840,000 for 34 cameras to be placed in Downtown Dallas u 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 u A “field trip” to visit the Dallas Command Center can be scheduled

Staffing – Current Assumptions u 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)

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

DWI/Traffic Enforcement Unit u Austin PD has seen a 25% reduction in alcohol- related fatality accidents since inception of unit u DWI Officers: - Streamline DWI arrest processing - Assist with Accident Investigation - Will write some citations (1/3 of regular Traffic Ofcr.) u 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)

Timeline & Impact CostCamera 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 -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

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

Cross-Departmental Projects u Preparing for Arlington’s future requires comprehensive planning that crosses the City’s departmental boundaries u 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

Recommendations u We return to Council to discuss proposal for photo enforcement pilot project at 10 most dangerous intersections u 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

QUESTIONS?