Download - drug market interventions
drug market interventions
NCLM Annual Conference, October 25-27, 2009 Major Marty A. Sumner
Using Strong Community Partnerships, Intelligence, and Focused Deterrence to Reduce Violent Crime in High Point, North Carolina
The Setting Street drug market is “toxic” to
neighborhoods. There is a direct nexus between street level dealing and violence.
These neighborhoods are known for years as a drug and prostitution market.
They are the target of numerous and regular undercover operations or stings.
Despite numerous arrests the situation persists.
Over time the community has lost faith in the ability of police to impact this problem.
People are afraid.
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
The Street Dealers The pressure we apply through law enforcement
does not equal their day to day risks. They expect to be robbed, they expect to be
arrested, JUST NOT EVERY DAY. Selling one dose at a time, to people they do not
know, in competition with others, keeps them armed and on edge. (assaults, armed robbery, home invasions)
They take the community’s apathy or indifference as approval.
They must be brought to a MOMENT OF CHOICE.
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Theory and Concepts “Drug Markets” versus the “Drug Problem” Small numbers of drug dealers Nonlinear market dynamics Formal sanctions matter but should be minimized Informal sanctions matter most of all Norms, narratives and persistent
misunderstanding Help matters Vital hidden common ground
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Strategic Intervention Directly addressing norms and narratives City-wide strategy with “beachheads” Careful identification of all players Identifying “influentials” Focusing services Creating formal deterrence “banking”
cases Beachheads maintenance Direct communication with dealers
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Logic Model
Source: Dr. James M. Frabutt et al., at The Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnerships at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro serving as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Research Partner for the United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of North Carolina. Supported by PSN funding (Award #2002-GP-CX-0220) through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
Identification Phase Notification Phase Resource DeliveryCommunity Support Phase
Identification of Target
Geographic Area
ID of Individuals
Operating in Target Area
Undercover Buys
Immediate Prosecution of the Most Violent or
Dangerous
Notification List
Compiled
Community and Police Dialog and Discussion of
the Strategy
Community & Police
Home Visit
Community Focus
Police Focus Eliminate
Overt Markets
ReduceDrug and Violent Crimes
Resource Coordinator
Notification Session “Call-in”
Operational Steps:
1. Crime Mapping2. Survey3. Incident Review4. Undercover Operations5. Mobilize Community6. Contact with Offender’s Family7. Call-in / Notification8. Enforcement9. Follow Up
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
2003 All Layers Combined Density Map
West EndWest End
SouthsideSouthside
Daniel BrooksDaniel Brooks
East CentralEast Central
Step 2: Survey Survey police officers, probation
officers, vice officers and community members to identify dealers
Identify locations as well as persons Create master list of dealers and
locations from the surveys Small number of dealers in each area:
West End 26 Daniel Brooks 21 Southside 25 East Central 36
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 3: Incident Review
Vice/Narcotics detectives conduct a complete incident review of all dealers
All reports, contacts with police and intelligence are examined through link analysis
The list of offenders is refined to include only the street dealers based on the review…
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
…refining the list of dealers Is the dealer still active? In this area?
Street level or mid-level? History of violence? Pending charges? As many as ten were dropped from each
master list. Our final list for each area included:
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
CALL-INCALL-IN
West End - 12West End - 12
Daniel Brooks - 9Daniel Brooks - 9
Southside – 22Southside – 22
East Central - 26East Central - 26
TICK
ET
PROSECUTIONPROSECUTION
West End - 4West End - 4
Daniel Brooks - 4Daniel Brooks - 4
Southside – 6Southside – 6
East Central - 6East Central - 6
ADM
IT O
NE
Step 4: Undercover Operations
Each location and offender is investigated
Drug houses are photographed Undercover purchases are made
from individuals, each buy is videotaped with audio
The investigation requires only a judge’s signature to make the arrest
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 5: Mobilize Community Commitment City Council members,
the Mayor and the City Manager are briefed
A series of public meetings are scheduled in the target area
Strategy shared fully with the community: “Is this something you will support?”
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 5: Building Community Trust Building community capacity and
leadership Acknowledge that traditional enforcement
tactics were not effective and caused unintended harm to community
Community has to set the social standards for their neighborhood
Promises have been made and broken Focus on new way of doing business and
reconciliation
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 6: Contact With Offender’s Family
Identify “influentials” Small groups of Officers, Community
members and Clergy visit immediate family members of the offender Explain goals, invite family to participate Join in asking offender to quit Family encouraged to attend call-in
Letter from Chief
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 7: Call in/Notification
Face-to-Face notification with offenders, community (HPCAV) and law enforcement (VCTF).
Strong community voice; “you’re ours, you’re doing wrong, you need to stop and we’ll help you”
Law enforcement delivers a two pronged message: Drug dealing and violence will no longer be tolerated Offenders are hereby put on official notice – “you
could be arrested now, you will be arrested if we know you are back at it”
Through a resource coordinator they are offered community-based help
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Citizen Group (HPCAV) HPCAV 501c3 Weed and Seed Public Defender County Schools Sickle Cell Disease Assoc. Community Development Guilford Community College Batts Consultants Central Carolina Legal
Services CHILDWATCH Family Services Crisis Women’s Shelter United Way
HP Regional Health System Guilford County Mental Health ASK Employment Security
Commission Adult Protective Services Alcohol & Drug Services Numerous Ministries HUD High Point University Center for the Study of Social
Issues Caring Services All State and Federal Law
Enforcement
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 8: Enforcement
Officers and Community are careful to watch for the first signs of drug dealing
Immediate investigation of drug complaints; additional officers are assigned to the area for the first few weeks
Informants revisit confirmed drug locations Any complaints involving a notified offender
result in the warrants being signed and their arrest
District Attorney assigned one prosecutor to these cases
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Step 9: Follow Up Follow up contact is made with offenders to
see if they are getting the help they need Community members are encouraged to keep
in contact with notified offenders. Mentors are assigned
Newsletters / Flyers to the community contain information of arrests or success stories
Officers attend community watches in the area Property owners notified of nuisance
abatement
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Quantitative Analysis
Pre Call in Post Call in100 D
ays
150 Days
200 Days
250 Days
300 Days
Etc
365 Days
Etc
365 Days
300 Days
250 Days
200 Days
100 Days
150 Days
Notification / Call-in
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Violent Crime Change West End Neighborhood
Decrease over 4 years: 57%
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Drug Crime Change West End Neighborhood
Decrease over 4 years: 25%
Changes in Crime Over the Last 565 Days in West End
-150
-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
250
Part I
Homicide
Rape
Robbery
Assault
All Dru
gs
Drug Equp
Drug Counter
Drug M
anu
Drug Poss
Drug Sales
Drug Other
Burglary
Prost
Sex Crim
es
Stolen Pro
p
Weapons
PrePost% Change
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Fifteen Year Analysis of Violent Crime City-wide
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Qualitative
Markets closed overnight! Bible school attendance up at English Road
Baptist Church Calls for service increased 5% but type of calls
has shifted 911 caller on homicide has change of heart,
converts from reluctant witness Defendant complains he cannot provide
substantial assistance No homicides, rapes, or gun assaults in target
area since the call-in Sustained for over 4 years, replicated in Daniel
Brooks, Southside, & East Central neighborhoods
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Tracking Notified Offenders
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
20032003 20062006
Communication With Community Maintain the hyper sensitive lines of
communication with the community members and leaders
Published a single contact number for police allowing citizens to report activity
Newsletter for continued updates Flyers informing new members of the
neighborhood about the initiative Attend neighborhood watch meetings
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Contact with Offenders Helping to keep the pressure on,
reminding them what behavior we will not tolerate, they know they are not forgotten High Point Community Against Violence Through the Resource Coordinator Community Outreach Officers Probation Officers
Assigned to mentors Notification of offenders returning from
prison to the neighborhood
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Communication With Beat Officers Assembly room bulletin board MDT messages Bi-weekly meetings Supervisors on opposite rotations
responsible for coordinating activity Intranet Blog
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Immediate Response To Threats Major case review of all Part 1 offenses Immediate response to drug complaints
Personal notification to residents of complaint location, flyer and strong message
Attempt consent search “knock & talk” High visibility disruption of business Undercover buy and search warrant
Response to prostitution
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Monitoring Physical Conditions Of The Neighborhood Vacant houses reported to
Inspections and boarded up Insufficient street lighting reported Trash removed Unkept yards Graffiti covered over or removed Condemned houses demolished
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Outcomes
Focused and data driven, seen as fair by the community (redeemable)
Not a traditional police crackdown, community regains faith in police, community capital
Results were immediate SUSTAINABLE Shares responsibility for community safety
with the community and holds the offenders accountable
Decrease in violent crime was substantial New mutual understandings and racial
dialogue
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC
QUESTIONS?
Major Marty A. SumnerChief of StaffHigh Point Police Department1009 Leonard AveHigh Point, NC [email protected]