Peoria Police Department Yearly Report

Yearly Report

The Peoria Police Department will continue to expand Community Policing and implemented a Neighborhood Improvement Program teaming up with Code Enforcement, Inspections, PAWS, and Fire Department to target areas approximately 3 by 5 blocks in size.

With the continued commitment of Mayor Ardis and City Council a long term, 3 - 5 year plan has been devised that will allow community policing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our community policing involves citizens, businesses, other governmental agencies, and civic organizations. Every member of the Police Department assigned inside and outside will be involved in Community Policing.

By re-organizing the Department, more officers have been put on the street to deliver service to critical areas. These changes also provide a safer working environment for officers and citizens.

The police department does not fit as a one-size fits all system. We realize that in order to accomplish our goals and objectives of the individual neighborhoods, that crime fighting methods will differ from neighborhood to neighborhood. Officers are not just responding to calls but acting as problem solvers as well.

Greater use of technology continues to play an important part in our community policing efforts. The Peoria plan in some respects mirrors the New York Comstat program with a combination of people and technology tracking crime patterns by district.

In May 2003, we began wireless field report writing and wireless computer aided dispatching for "voiceless dispatching" to enhance communications with personnel in the field. In October 2003, we began to research of implementation AVL/GPS vehicles in the field and the emergency Communications Center. Testing of the system will begin March 2004.

We feel confident that by increasing officers on the street, better use of our technology, and a continued dialog with our neighbors we can better serve both the citizens, people visiting, and people working in our city.

The Peoria plan was implemented months before the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks and has provided our citizens with appropriate protection against any such threats and training our personnel how to respond. We are working with other city departments to stabilize and rehabilitate our older neighborhoods.

The Peoria Police Department will always be at the forefront of providing our community with the best possible law enforcement services available.

Facts
Implementation of Comstat principals developed in New York City which allows bi-weekly analysis of crime patterns by individual district

Grant monies received allow for purchasing and implementing technology tools and manpower allocation for additional enforcement

Continued Partnerships allow for the sharing of resources

SLATE (State and Local Auto Theft Enforcement)

Safe Streets (Gangs, Drugs, Organized Crime)

Multi-county Drug Enforcement Group

Peoria County Sheriff's Department

School District 150 Police

Bradley University Police

Peoria Park District Police

Illinois State Police

Illinois Secretary of State Police

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Problem Property Task formed in 2002 to Stabilize and Revitalize Neighborhoods
(Neighborhood Enhancement Action Team)

2003 Problem Oriented Police Teams formed

Department re-organized to allow more patrol officers to be in the neighborhoods and safer working conditions.

Community Policing methods continue to be enhanced and expanded including neighborhood surveys

Police Community Advisory Committee maintained

Peoria Police Department and Technology

In-Car Video Camera's added to all marked patrol cars which enhances officer safety and reduces liability

Mobil Data Computers allow officers to query about 39,000 people and vehicles per month on view

Computer Crimes Investigations involving Local, State, Federal and worldwide efforts and contributions to combat child pornography, computer fraud, and associated white collar crimes

Home land security strategies maintained

Direct entry of reports via Mobile Data Computers in the field. This allows for "real time" field queries of the data base from squad cars.

Initiation of AVL/GPS implementation to Improve personnel safety and improve call response times.

Our motto continues to be " crime does not play in Peoria".