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116 <br /> <br />January 11, 1977 <br /> <br />cooperation and involvement from citizens, civic groups and other community agencies have <br />proven successful. Hopefully, through a continuing cooperative effort, we will be able <br />to reduce crime in Southside as well as in other parts of the city. <br /> <br /> Below are my comments regarding each of the nine recommendations made by Community <br />Action, Inc. <br /> <br />REeal4~i~NDAT~ON 1: Community Action, Inc. undertake to <br />Etimulate formation of a standing reward program for <br />arrest and conviction of persons committing violent armed <br />robbery. <br /> <br />The Planning and Analysis unit of the Police Department is presently researching a <br />pecret witness/reward program. The assistance offered by Community Action, Inc. is <br />highly welcomed. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION 2: Community Action, Inc. contact <br /> <br />appropriate agencies to influence them to extend <br />Norfolk-Portsmouth Tunnel Bus routings to Fourth <br />Street and Effingham-Green Street gates. <br /> <br />The requested route change was implemented October 1, 1976 by the Tunnel Commission <br />and will be continued by Tidewater Transportation District Commission. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION 3: City of Portsmouth study ways to <br />improve lighting ~in certain areas of Southside. <br /> <br />In January, 1975 a comprehensive survey was conducted of lighting in Southside. As <br />a result of that survey, the following improvements were made. Twenty-four (24) 11,000 <br />lumen mercury vapor street lights on Fourth Street were increased to 20,000 lumens <br />and fourteen {14) additional 20,000 lumen mercury vapor lights were added. On side <br />streets, one-hundred fifteen (115) existing street lights were increased from 5500 <br />or 7000 lumens to 11,000 lumens and an additional seventy-seven [77) 11,000 lumen lights <br />were added. <br /> <br />RECO~,{ENDATION 4: City of Portsmouth and Tunnel <br />Commission relocate isolated bus stop shelters and <br />add lighting around them. <br /> <br />The above .recommendation was presented to bhe Tidewater Transportation District Commissie <br />on November 17, 1976, and the recommendation is under consideration by TTDC. We are <br />considering demolition of the brick/cinder block bus stop. A bus stop shelter has <br />been placed at the intersection of Court with the tunnel connector. <br /> <br />RECO~IMENDATION 5: City of Portsmouth study feasibility <br />of placing emergency telephones at bus shelters in South- <br />side and downtown areas. <br /> <br />It is felt that emergency telephones would be of minimal benefit in reducing crimes. <br />Any robbery which may occur would be a "surprise" attack, thereby preventing use of <br />the phone. _~a'intenance would be a continual problem. <br /> <br />RECOI~4ENDATION 6: The Portsmout'h 'Police Department <br />intensify its Police Decoy Program in Southside. <br /> <br />The Stake-out and Decoy Program was initiated several months ago and is continuing. <br />The program consists of an officer in plain clothes walking through the area, covered <br />by an undercover detective. No decoy has been robbed to date, but information has <br />been gathered resulting in 12 arrests. <br /> <br />RECO~5~ENDATION 7: Community Action, Inc. offers its <br />assistance to the Police Department in publicizing <br />and promoting crime prevention programs. <br /> <br /> The Crime Prevention Division is staffed with 15 sworn officers and 9 civilians whose <br /> primary objective is to prevent crimes by working with various civic-community <br /> groups and individuals. The assistance offered by Community Action, Inc. is greatly <br />~[:ea~preciated. <br /> <br />RBCOB~MBNDATION 8: City of Portsmouth,.Parking Authority,. <br />PRHA, and Naval Shipyard expedite a Shipyard parking area. <br /> <br />We have been working with the Shipyard for a number of months trying to resolve the <br />parking problem. We have talked with several developers and one developer has <br />indicated some interest. Our discussions are in the preliminary stages and we do not <br />have specific information available at this time. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION 9:' The City of Portsmouth expedite tearing <br />down vandalized buildings in Southside. <br /> <br />At the December 14, 1976 meeting, City Council authorized transfer of an additional <br />$15,000 for demolition of dilapidated buildings. The previous appropriation of $15,000 <br />was expended within the first 90 days of fiscal 1977. In November, 1976, the Building <br />Official conducted a survey of dilapidated vacant buildings and compiled a list of 55 <br /> <br /> <br />