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Nokomis East Neighborhood Association COPS Iniative
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NRP/MPD COPS Program

  
(March 24, 2004)

The Nokomis East Neighborhood Association has completed a proposal to fund 400 hours of specific police coverage in our neighborhood. This coverage is part of the Community Oriented Public Safety Initiative Reserve Fund (COPS), a $1,000,000, one-time allocation of Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) dollars to augment police coverage citywide.

Background

On August 18, 2003 the NRP Policy Board committed $1 million of NRP funds to the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) for the purpose of paying for community-oriented public safety initiatives in 2004.

The committment was made after 20 of Minneapolis' neighborhood organizations offered opinions on the COPS Initiative. While these organizations clearly confirmed their support for strong community policing and public safety measures, several wanted to wait until it was clear that the transfer of funds was legal and that there would indeed be funding for Phase II of the NRP. A clarifying opinion issued by legal counsel mandated that individual NRP Neighborhood Action Plans must be the driving force behind all funds transferred to the MPD through the NRP Community Policing Initiative.

The $1 million transfer is a one-time commitment that will be used by the MPD in 2004. In accordance with the resolution, community policing funds will be used for such things as: CCP/SAFE staffing, bike patrols, foot patrols and community-based and directed police presence across the city.

On February 23, 2004, the NRP Policy Board adopted final criteria to be used to assess applications submitted by neighborhood organizations for funds from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Reserve Fund. The criteria made it clear that neighborhood organizations, and not Minneapolis Police Department precincts, would submit the proposals for dollars from this fund, that expenditures must be for police hours at a straight time rate (without fringe benefits or other overhead costs) and that the proposal must be covered by a strategy in a neighborhood action plan or that will be in the neighborhood's Phase II plan.

The Criteria

1. Funds are for police hours that are over and above the level included in the 2004 City Budget for police services proposed by the Mayor in August, 2003.

2. The expenditure is for community oriented public safety services for activities such as: expansion of current levels of CCP/SAFE service, bike patrols, foot patrols, and community based and local precinct commander directed police presence.

3. The proposed expenditure plan must be approved and submitted by the neighborhood organization Board of Directors or by a group of neighborhood organizations, and must be developed in consultation with the local precinct commander.

4. The proposed budget must show police hours paid at straight time rates, with no overhead allowance.

PROPOSAL
Community Oriented Public Safety  Initiatives Reserve Fund
Nokomis East Neighborhood
March 22, 2004


Nokomis East, comprising the Wenonah, Keewaydin, Morris Park and Minnehaha neighborhoods, is represented by Sector 3 of the 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police Department.

The policing activities requested in this proposal resulted from several phone conversations and two planning sessions between the staff of Nokomis East Neighborhood Association (NENA) and 3rd precinct, Sector 3 Police Lieutenant Jack Kelly, and CCP/SAFE personnel, officer Brian Cross and Sue Rothelle. The results of those meetings were refined with the input from NENA's People Services & Safety Task Force on February 3. Further public input was received at the 3rd Precinct meeting on February 26 and immediately following that meeting, the modified proposal was presented to, and approved by the Nokomis East Board of Directors.

STRATEGY:

The activities defined during the planning sessions will be conducted through Nokomis East's approved Phase I Neighborhood Revitalization Program Full Plan: Safety/Crime Prevention, First Step Strategies;

Goal #1: Improve and Ensure a Safe Community;
Objective #2: To Reduce Crime and Expand Our Relationship With Public Safety officials;
Strategy #6: Implement the Recommendations for the Citizen's Concern Survey;
Item #8: (Full Plan) Police Buyback Program.

This proposal requests $15,644 of the available $1,000,000 (at $39.11/hr. hourly rate) for 400 hours of policing activities listed below. The actual division of hours is to be determined by the 3rd Precinct based on the stated priority and need.

ACTIVITIES:

First Priority: More Police Presence

  • Priority area: 36th Ave S. on the west to 26th Ave. S on the east, and E 54th St on the north and Crosstown Highway (62) on the south.
  • Focus on aggressive enforcement and resolution of robbery and burglary.
  • Increased squad car patrol hours

Second Priority: Increased Presence at Bossen Terrace

  • Focus area: Diamond Hill and Bossen Terrace apartment complexes.
  • Increase enforcement of drug dealing, firearm usage, and prevention/resolution of robbery and burglary.
  • CCP/SAFE involvement with Bossen Area Rental Coalition (BARC) meetings.

Third Priority: Nokomis Village (Main Business Node) Area Foot Patrol

  • Focus area: 34th Ave. S between E. 49th St. and E. 52nd St.
  • Enforce loitering and curfew violations.
  • Increase the perception of property and personal safety.
  • Occasional Bike Patrols (low priority).

Fourth Priority: Increase Block Club Participation

  • Focus on most needed areas and areas lacking participation.
  • CCP/SAFE to conduct personal safety workshops.

Fifth Priority: Traffic Enforcement

  • Focus area: In-Neighborhood, as needed, and additionally as requested by Neighborhood.
  • Not to include enforcement on or adjacent to Highway 55 (Hiawatha Ave.) or Crosstown 62.

OUTCOMES:

  1. Improved communication between the police and community residents. This will be achieved by increased regular communications through established e-mail channels and Crime and Safety communications posted on www.nokomiseast.org, including notable crime activity and reports of apprehensions and beat accomplishments on a timely basis. This will also be accomplished by police attendance at the appropriate neighborhood meetings.
  2. A reduction in 3rd Sector crimes. This will be monitored by CCP/SAFE, who will provide arrest statistics in printed and electronic to Nokomis East on a monthly basis.

REPORTING:

The 3rd Precinct Sector 3 Lieutenant will provide a comprehensive report about sector 3 activities covered through this initiative on a quarterly basis, describing assignment of hours and activities conducted in accordance with the strategies identified in the plan.