Safer cities are simply more attractive to current and potential residents alike. We need to continue to prioritize and invest in making us safe, our children safe, our businesses safe, and our property safe in the City of Norfolk.
First Responder Staffing
Staffing continues to be an issue for our emergency services, and I will be relentless in pursuing solutions to get this resolved. We need, first and foremost, to fill the open roles at the police department and the 911 call center. We can do this by making sure we have the best pay in the region for our Police, Fire, and 911 call center workers.
However, I know from my time in the private sector that employees care deeply about more than just pay, they want great leadership, great culture, and a great work environment. We need leaders that care, coach, and support our workforce. Our culture needs to be one of opportunity, hard work, rewarding success, and wanting to win. The work environments for our first responders need to be the best in the region including the best technology, take home cars for our police force, and amenities that allow these individuals to decompress from the stress of these difficult jobs.
Supporting our Workforce
I will work with our department leadership to make sure we always have Team Norfolk’s back in a time of crisis and that we are committed to creating career paths to retain the best. We have to do more than make platitudes towards these ends, we have to see the data of progress. I will press for an annual City of Norfolk workforce survey so we can hear from Team Norfolk on what’s working and what’s not working, we can benchmark employee satisfaction, identify opportunities to continue improving, and quantity that we are building the best city government work environment in Hampton Roads.
Doing More with Less
As we continue to face challenges in staffing, we must also work smarter with a smaller police force. We can increase our crime-fighting capacity by reducing the demand for police services, allowing our officers to focus on the most critical crime-fighting work. We should continue to invest in automating basic traffic infractions like speeding, red-light running, and illegal parking so that our officers are dedicated to their most valuable tasks.
Additionally, we should maximize the use of technology to enhance our crime-fighting capabilities. This includes deploying Flock Safety cameras, which use automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) to help solve crimes by identifying vehicles involved in criminal activities. Coupled with our Real-Time Crime Center, which allows law enforcement to monitor, analyze, and respond to incidents as they occur, we can ensure that our police force is supported by the best tools available. These technologies enable our officers to respond more effectively and efficiently, reducing the burden on our already stretched resources and allowing them to focus on high-priority cases.
We should also explore standing up a mental health first responder team, similar to the STAR program in Denver. This team could consist of Emergency Medical Technicians, Behavioral Health Clinicians, caseworkers, and other trained professionals who can respond to community members experiencing issues related to mental health, depression, poverty, homelessness, and substance use. Data from other cities has shown that as much as 30% of police contacts could be diverted to such teams allowing our officers to concentrate on reducing serious crime.
Improving the Built Environment
Research has clearly shown that crime is more concentrated in places with physical disorder. Dilapidated homes, poor street lighting, vacant lots, and indications that a place is uncared for encourages more crime. Addressing these issues is critical to making our neighborhoods safer and more inviting.
Revitalizing Dilapidated Homes and Vacant Properties Abandoned and poorly maintained properties can become breeding grounds for criminal activity. I propose implementing a proactive code enforcement program that targets these problem properties, ensuring they are either rehabilitated or redeveloped. This can include working with local developers, nonprofits, and community organizations to repurpose vacant lots and transform them into productive community spaces such as parks, community gardens, or affordable housing. By turning these neglected areas into assets, we can reduce crime and enhance the overall quality of life in our neighborhoods.
Enhancing Street Lighting and Public Spaces Poorly lit streets and public spaces can make residents feel unsafe and provide cover for criminal activities. When I was the leader of my civic league, we had over 100 lights that were out in my neighborhood alone. I will work to find a way to increase the speed with which broken lights are repaired across our city through Dominion Energy. I will also work to ensure our LED light replacement projects occur expeditiously, while also addressing community concerns around some of these replacement bulb intensities and glare.
Addressing Physical Disorder and Blight Physical disorder, such as graffiti, litter, and poorly maintained infrastructure, signals neglect and can lead to an increase in crime. See my section on Getting The Basics Right where I lay out my plans to invest in neighborhood cleaning and maintaining public spaces, removing graffiti, and ensuring that our streets, sidewalks, and parks are kept in top condition.
Integrating Green Infrastructure Incorporating green infrastructure into our urban planning can also have a positive impact on reducing crime. Green spaces, tree-lined streets, and community gardens not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of our neighborhoods but also create environments that are less conducive to criminal activity. Studies have shown that well-maintained green spaces can reduce stress and encourage social interaction, both of which contribute to a safer and more cohesive community.
Comprehensive Neighborhood Revitalization Improving the built environment is not just about making physical changes—it's about revitalizing entire neighborhoods. My proposed policies for "
Strengthening Neighborhoods" and "
Getting the Basics Right" will help further reduce crime in Norfolk. This includes ensuring that essential city services like trash collection, street maintenance, and code enforcement are performed consistently and effectively. By creating cleaner, better-maintained neighborhoods, we can foster a sense of safety and community pride that naturally deters crime.
