Safer Cities Initiative facts for kids

The Safer Cities Initiative was a plan started in Skid Row, Los Angeles to help reduce crime. Skid Row is an area in Los Angeles where many people who do not have homes live. This initiative mainly involved more police officers working in the area. It also included other efforts, like making sure hospitals did not leave patients who needed help in Skid Row. The plan also helped with community services, such as trimming trees.

History of the Initiative

Skid Row in Los Angeles had more crime than other parts of the city. In 2005, the Los Angeles Police Department started a test program. This program was called the "Main Street Pilot Project." Its goal was to reduce the number of temporary shelters where people lived in Skid Row.

The Safer Cities Initiative was officially announced on September 24, 2006. The mayor of Los Angeles at the time, Antonio Villaraigosa, made the announcement. Fifty new police officers were hired for a special team called the Safer Cities Initiative Task Force. This team focused on an area smaller than 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers).

What Happened with the Initiative?

How Much Did It Cost?

Many people criticized the Safer Cities Initiative because of how much money it cost. Just paying the fifty police officers cost $6 million each year. This amount was more than the city's entire yearly budget for all homeless shelters and services, which was $5.6 million.

Also, each time someone was arrested under this initiative, it cost Los Angeles about $4,300. By 2009, arrests made through the Safer Cities Initiative had cost the city $118 million.

How Did It Affect People?

The leader of LAMP Community, a group that helps people experiencing homelessness in Skid Row, spoke out against the initiative. They said the plan focused too much on small issues. They felt these issues were often caused by someone's illness or simply trying to survive on the streets.

In 2010, the Los Angeles Community Action Network asked for the initiative to end. They collected signatures and wrote a report. They said the initiative led to unfair treatment for people living in Skid Row. Many residents felt unsafe because of police actions and harassment.

A sociologist, Alex S. Vitale, also criticized the initiative. He said it should not be copied in other cities. He explained that it did not really reduce homelessness. He also pointed out its high cost and only a small effect on crime.

Many people received tickets for small offenses. If they could not pay these tickets, the tickets turned into orders for their arrest. In just 14 months, 1,200 people were arrested in the Safer Cities Initiative area because they had not paid their tickets.

People in Skid Row learned how to avoid police attention because of their many interactions with officers. They also started a Community Watch group. This group watched and wrote down what police officers did. This was a way for them to "police the police." These efforts to resist some police tactics eventually led to a court order. This order stopped police from regularly taking people's belongings.