(A) Maintaining a secure and safe environment in the downtown area through a comprehensive crime prevention approach should be a priority goal of the District. To further that goal, the Board of Directors should consider the following principles to assist in the creation and maintenance of an environment where people can feel safe to live, work, travel or visit:
(1) Natural surveillance. The placement of physical features, activities and people in such a way as to maximize visibility. The lighting of public spaces and walkways at night.
(2) Natural access control. The physical guidance of people coming and going from a space by the placement of entrances, exits, fencing, landscaping and lighting.
(3) Territorial reinforcement. The use of physical attributes that express ownership, such as fences, pavement treatments, art, signage and landscaping.
(4) Maintenance. Allows for the continued use of a space for its intended purpose. Serves as an additional expression of ownership. Prevents reduction of visibility from landscape overgrowth and obstruction or inoperative lighting.
(B) The economic improvement plan should provide background information and an evaluation of the District, including data on crime, land use, housing and zoning, traffic and transportation and demographics. This data should be analyzed to determine relationships between the physical environment and crime. Once relationships have been determined, the District should outline a comprehensive strategy to reduce crime and improve the quality of the environment in the District.
(C) It is recommended that the Board of Directors conduct a crime survey of all businesses and residents to identify significant indicators from crime data and a consensus of perception of crime from the community of the District. Specific crime prevention measures that should be considered include business and residential block watches. The crime prevention strategy should also be in accordance with the comprehensive plan and the Metro Government's capital improvement program. Technical assistance and information services will be provided by the Metro Division of Police's Office of Crime Prevention or that Office's successor.
(D) It is anticipated the District will deploy a special corps of uniformed "community service officers" to supplement existing downtown security provided by the Metro Government and private property owners. The community service officers should include the following characteristics:
(1) Officers should be consumer friendly, unarmed but equipped with two-way communications that can be used to get instant information or to alert proper authorities to any situations that arise.
(2) Supervisors should be carefully selected to ensure high professional standards are observed, to provide continuous linkage to the Division of Police communications network and to operate with necessary police powers in the event of an emergency.
(3) Day-to-day operations of the security program should be managed by a private contractor to be selected through a competitive process. Criteria should include prior command experience with the Division of Police, to ensure effective liaison with the Division of Police for day-to-day downtown operations.
(4) Screening and training of community service officers must be given top emphasis. Personnel with prior or ongoing professional security training should be selected when possible.
(5) Development patterns should be strategic, emphasizing parking area and high pedestrian traffic corridors, including to and from places of work, entertainment and residences. Community service officers should be concentrated on blocks in private ownership, and those public sector and tax exempt properties which have contracted with the District for the provision of certain District services. Hours of operation should be planned to provide maximum support for downtown business.
(6) A key objective should be to provide a visible security presence at least once each hour during times of maximum deployment. Off-peak schedules will follow changes in activity from zone to zone, such as restaurant or performance hours.
(7) Criteria should be established for the selection of community service officers to ensure that candidates have the background, personality and leadership qualities necessary to perform tasks outlined in the position description.
(8) A training program should be established to ensure excellent performance by officers. The Division of Police should be approached about the design and implementation of such a training program for community service officers.
(E) Program effectiveness will be multiplied by emphasizing improved coordination and communication between security departments of property owners and the Division of Police. A steering Committee of private and public sector security professionals should be established to advise the District Board on methods for achieving maximum coordination of efforts, and to obtain the most cost-effective deployment of available District personnel.
(1999 Lou. Code, § 151.22) (Lou. Res. 231-1991, approved 8-30-1991; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 195-2006, approved 10-31-2006; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 234-2006, approved 12-26-2006)