| The substations will be located near Busch Gardens and Tampa International
Airport and will be ready for occupancy in April of 1998. The 911 communications facility,
which will house both Police and Fire Communications personnel, will be ready for
occupancy in June, 1998. This decentralization will improve police accessibility,
community interaction and result in better response times. The Tampa Police Department is
committed to Community Oriented Policing (COP) - a fundamental principle for all police
operations. Through a Federal Police Hiring Grant the Police Department was able to
assign 2 police officers in each of the City's 20 fire stations. Having the same officers
working in the same area of town lets them get to know the people who live and work in the
area and the people get to know the officers. This has had dramatic results in reducing
crime and improving the quality of life.
The police car take-home policy began in FY97. This was facilitated by the passage of
the Community Investment Tax (CIT) which enabled us to purchase 56 take-home cars in FY97
with 50 more planned for this year. The full complement of take-home cars will be
completed within the next 18 months. This is another example of providing increased police
visibility in the neighborhoods as a crime deterrent.
FY 98 CIT dollars will also enable us to purchase a new aerial truck and two sedans for
Tampa Fire Rescue at a cost of $656,000. Police will also receive 32 unmarked vehicles and
5 park ranger trucks. With bond refinancing dollars, Tampa Fire Rescue will also purchase
3 engines and 3 rescue vehicles in FY98.
Results of this increased emphasis on public safety are encouraging with the most
recent crime report, showing that violent crime within the City of Tampa decreased 11.7%
between 1995 and 1996. |
