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What's new? | Other Ways to Get Involved | Q&A's
About Safe and Clean
Great things happened when Tacoma citizens partnered with City staffers in April 2008 and talked about ways to bring crime rates down while doing away with debris, junk vehicles and other nuisances. Working within existing City budgets, by the end of June 2009 they helped bring about an 18 percent reduction in crime and eliminated over 500 tons of debris during community clean-ups.
They regrouped in June 2009, proud of what had been accomplished, but with a clear understanding that more work needed to be done. With knowledge gleaned from previous efforts, a number of specialized teams were developed that focused on bringing crime rates down even further. These teams, listed within this brochure, continue to be hard at work
today and they need your support.
Each of us has something to offer, so it’s time to get involved.
Get Involved With the Next Round of Safe and Clean
(Posted on May 20, 11 a.m.)
If you have ideas on how you and your neighbors can partner with City staff to make Tacoma a better place to live and work, e-mail safeandclean@cityoftacoma.org today. Learn more about the Safe and Clean initiative at cityoftacoma.org/safeandclean. A revised Safe and Clean brochure is available for viewing in low-resolution at cityoftacoma.org/safeandcleanbrochure. To request a print quality electronic version or hard copy of this brochure, contact Maria Lee at maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-2054.
Safe and Clean update to City Council
(Posted on April 6, 11 a.m.)
Read the Safe and Clean update that City Council received from staff on April 6, 2010. The Sept. 15, 2009 update to City Council is available for your review as well.
Booklet on residential burglary prevention
now available for download
(Posted on March 4, 11 a.m.)
Fighting residential burglary continues to be a priority in our neighborhoods. The Residential Security Training and Outreach Safe and Clean team has worked with the City of Tacoma's Crime Prevention Programs, the Washington State Crime Prevention Association, Seattle Children’s Hospital Security Services, Safe Streets and Hilltop Action Coalition to create this booklet of tips and techniques for homeowners interested in better securing their homes.
Safe and Clean team works toward goal of
speedy reporting and removal of graffiti
(Posted Dec. 22, 11:06 a.m.)
The Resources to Address and Prevent Graffiti Safe and Clean team conducted extensive research and found that the removal of graffiti in a timely manner can be a major deterrent for future incidences of graffiti as well as other crimes. The team is currently working to improve and enhance the City's existing graffiti reporting and information dissemination system, and members are continuing to consult with City and community partners to determine how to best tackle the problem of graffiti. With their support, the team will soon be conducting an aggressive awareness campaign to spread the word about the progress they've made while tracking and reporting the number of reported graffiti incidences, the level of usage of their team's Web site (cityoftacoma.org/graffiti), and the speed at which graffiti is removed through the use of their updated reporting tool.
Ex-Offender Re-Entry Safe and Clean team is developing a
Web site of resources to help offenders successfully reintegrate
back into the community
(Posted Dec. 21, 9:45 a.m.)
As part of their efforts to help offenders successfully reintegrate back into the community, the Ex-Offender Re-Entry Safe and Clean team has been studying what recovering individuals might need and identified ways to connect them with existing organizations such as block groups and community coalitions. They are currently working on a Web site that recovering individuals can use as a reference for vital information on clothing and housing sources, rehabilitation and more.
Safe and Clean team focused on disrupting gang communication
(Updated Dec. 14, 9:45 a.m.)
The Develop and Distribute Gang Resource Inventory Safe and Clean team is working on a pilot project focused on disrupting gang communication. Experts say graffiti is often a means for gangs to communicate and/or mark their territory. With that in mind, the goal of the pilot project is to help improve the dissemination of information on where graffiti is occurring in the community and what resources are available to help combat it. With the help of the Community Based Services team, Tacoma Police Sector 4-4 was identified as an area greatly affected by unwanted graffiti. The team has developed a plan to distribute needed, timely and accurate information; linking residents in this pilot area who were tagged with volunteers that can help with clean-up and community resources, such as neighborhood patrols, to help with prevention. By connecting crime victims with community resources, the team hopes to raise awareness and build a stronger network that can help eliminate unwanted graffiti and break a channel of gang communications.
Safe and Clean team works to make it easier
to access crime data
(Updated Dec. 4, 4 p.m.)
The Crime Information Web Site Safe and Clean team is working to develop a one-stop Web site for crime information that will include four key components:
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current crime data mapped by location
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crime trends
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crime prevention strategies
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connections to community groups and organizations working on safety issues
To date, team members have researched best practices from other cities on how to share crime data and prevention strategies with the public, worked with the Tacoma Police Department and the Law Enforcement Support Agency to download crime data to an online crime mapping Web site, and solicited feedback from TPD Community Liaison Officers to determine what crime data and crime prevention information community members have been asking for most. Once a focus group has provided feedback and the Web site is ready to launch, a series of informational presentations will be held to familiarize community members with it.
Safe and Clean team works to reduce theft from vehicles around
6th Avenue and the University of Puget Sound
(Updated Nov. 12, 2 p.m.)
The Reduce Theft From Vehicles: 6th Avenue and University of Puget Sound Safe and Clean team has been analyzing which items have been stolen from cars around 6th Avenue and UPS, where in the neighborhood the thefts have been taking place, and what days and times the thefts are most likely to occur. Completing a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) review of the area, the team has benchmarked what other business districts and the City of Tacoma have done to mitigate this crime. The team has also asked the Tacoma Police Department to provide data on thefts from motor vehicles, in order to compare activity occurring within its targeted area to activity occurring within other business districts. Moving forward, team members hope to use this data to engage business owners within its targeted area.
Besides attending various Safe and Clean team meetings and getting to know other Tacoma citizens and City staffers, you can also:
Talk to Your Neighbors – Getting to know your neighbors and talking about what you’re seeing in your neighborhood is one of the most effective things you can do. Get to know their names and the names of their kids. Share contact information, go for walks around your neighborhood, and participate in Safe Streets activities together. Go to safest.org or call (253) 272-6824 for more information.
Recognize Others for Their Efforts to Clean Up Tacoma – Did you know you can put the spotlight on local groups and individuals that have helped to make Tacoma a cleaner place to live by volunteering their time and energy to spruce up neighborhoods, parks, other public spaces or qualifying private properties? Go to cityoftacoma.org/roar or call (253) 591-2054 for more information.
Report Crime and Blight – When you see a problem in your neighborhood, report it! If you see a crime in progress that endangers life or limb, or if you’re not quite sure what you’re seeing, call 911. If you spot graffiti-related or other non-emergency crimes, call the non-emergency number at (253) 798-4721. To report debris, junk vehicles and other nuisances, call Tacoma Cares at (253) 591-5001.
Join a Community Group – Whether it’s your neighborhood council or your neighborhood watch, getting involved and teaming up is a great way to have a positive impact on your community and meet new people. For more information about the Neighborhood Councils Program, call Elton Gatewood at (253) 591-5229.
Make Your Own Home Safe and Clean – There are a lot of things you can do to your own home to help prevent crime. Modifying your home by using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) techniques is an effective way of reducing the risk of crime happening to you. To learn more, go to cityoftacoma.org/cpted or call Tacoma Cares at (253) 591-5001.
Learn More About City Services That are Available – Did you know that each Tacoma City resident gets two Call-2-Haul pick ups a year to dispose of items too large to fit in your garbage container? That’s just one of many services the City provides. For further information on city services visit cityoftacoma.org/cityresources or call the City Manager’s Office at (253) 591-5130.
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