drug market interventions

1. drug market interventions Using Strong Community Partnerships, Intelligence, and Focused Deterrence to Reduce Violent Crime in High Point, North Carolina NCLM Annual Conference, October 25-27, 2009 Major Marty A. Sumner

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Resource Delivery Community Support Phase Logic Model Identification Phase Notification Phase Community and Police Dialog and Discussion of the Strategy Identification of Target Geographic Area ID of Individuals Operating in Target Area Undercover Buys Police Focus Eliminate Overt Markets Reduce Drug and Violent Crimes Notification Session “Call-in” Community Focus Immediate Prosecution of the Most Violent or Dangerous Community & Police Home Visit Resource Coordinator Notification List Compiled 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. Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

7. Operational Steps: • Crime Mapping • Survey • Incident Review • Undercover Operations • Mobilize Community • Contact with Offender’s Family • Call-in / Notification • Enforcement • Follow Up Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

8. 2003 All Layers Combined Density Map Daniel Brooks West End East Central Southside Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

9. 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

10. 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

11. CALL-IN West End - 12 Daniel Brooks - 9 Southside – 22 East Central - 26 PROSECUTION West End - 4 Daniel Brooks - 4 Southside – 6 East Central - 6 TICKET ADMIT ONE …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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. Quantitative Analysis Notification / Call-in Etc 365 Days 300 Days 250 Days 200 Days 150 Days 100 Days 100 Days 150 Days 200 Days 250 Days 300 Days 365 Days Etc Pre Call in Post Call in Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

21. Violent Crime Change West End Neighborhood Decrease over 4 years: 57% Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

22. Drug Crime Change West End Neighborhood Decrease over 4 years: 25% Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

23. Changes in Crime Over the Last 565 Days in West End Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

24. Fifteen Year Analysis of Violent Crime City-wide Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

25. 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

26. Tracking Notified Offenders

27. 2003 2006 Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. QUESTIONS? Major Marty A. Sumner Chief of Staff High Point Police Department 1009 Leonard Ave High Point, NC 27260 336-887-7817 marty.sumner@highpointnc.gov Eliminating Overt Drug Markets in High Point, NC