2015 POP Conference
Oct 19-21, 2015 Portland, OR

Center for Problem-Oriented Policing

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Goldstein Awards 2001

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Winner! Corridor Safety Program: A Collaborative Approach to Traffic Safety

California Highway Patrol, CA US – 10 Pages

Inadequate shoulders, poor signage, short passing, merging lanes leading to an “unsafe turning movement,” and crossing over the center line contributed to accidents in a corridor. A large population of Spanish-speaking individuals presented questions about motorists’ knowledge of traffic safety and laws, and emergency services were difficult to access in the remote corridor. Intensified police patrol, improved emergency services delivery, and public education were used to improve safety. Collisions, fatal collisions, and collisions involving injury and serious injuries were reduced.

A Police-School Partnership Approach to Bullying, Threatening and Intimidation in Public School

South Euclid Police Department, South Euclid, OH US – 8 Pages

A school was experiencing thousands of referrals to the principal’s office for bullying incidents, and juvenile complaints made to the police about disturbances, bullying, and assaults was on the rise for 10 years. Surveys, interviews, focus groups, and hotspot mapping indicated that poor environmental design coupled with poor parent, teacher, and student responses contributed to the bullying problem. A team was formed to modify the environment by changing school bell times and increasing teacher supervision in bullying hotspots. Teachers received training in conflict resolution and bullying prevention, and parents were educated about bullying and new school policies through mailings. A training center was established to provide help for “at risk students”. School suspensions and bullying decreased.

Reducing Trailer Theft by Targeting Market for Stolen Goods

Rogers County Sheriff's Office, OK US – 6 Pages

Crime reports, site visits, victim interviews, and a community survey revealed that trailers were more likely to be stolen if the trailers were small and placed in accessible, remote locations without security, and that unregistered or unlicensed trailers were less likely to be recovered. Microchips and an ownership database were used to monitor and identify trailers, and the media informed the public of these protective measures, substantially decreasing trailer theft.

The Chula Vista Residential Burglary Reduction Project

Chula Vista Police Department, Chula Vista, CA US – 11 Pages

A city was troubled by a high rate of residential burglaries. A police study revealed that homes with windows with single-paned glass and stock latches, doors without deadbolt locks, and sliding glass doors without pin locks were more likely to be burglarized. Homes that appeared unoccupied and had hidden points of entry were also more likely to be targeted. The police determined that environmental design features in newly-built homes would reduce burglaries. All homes built after 1999 included these features, and developers distributed antiburglary literature at the point of sale. Burglary rates in neighborhoods consisting of new homes with these features were 37 percent lower than rates in newer neighborhoods where only some of the homes had new antiburglary features.

The False Alarm Solution: Verified Response

Salt Lake City Police Department, Salt Lake City, UT US – 10 Pages

False alarms accounted for 12 percent of all dispatched calls and a backlog of calls-for-service. Average response time to alarms was 40 minutes and over 99 percent of the alarms were false. Police response to alarms was most effective when security guards provided verification, which was attractive to alarm owners. The city council passed a verified alarm response ordinance, and the police trained security guards to prepare them for their new duties. Alarm-related calls-for-service and police response times decreased, and the apprehension of burglars on site increased.

Workable Solutions to the Problem of Street Prostitution in Buffalo, N.Y.

Buffalo Police Department, Buffalo, NY US – 12 Pages

The police received a high volume of calls-for-service, made a lot of arrests for prostitution, and received numerous complaints from community groups. Surveys revealed that arrest was unlikely to deter prostitutes, and certain areas were especially vulnerable to prostitution activity. Johns were arrested and alternative sentencing strategies were used with first-time offenders, A “John School” was established and revenue was used to create outreach programs for prostitutes, and crime prevention through environmental design was used to combat prostitution. Calls-for-service decreased substantially, and community leaders reported decreases in prostitution.