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TO: GARY HYDEN, SUPERVISING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT JONATHAN REWERS, PROGRAM ANALYST PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

FROM: GREG NARRAMORE, SUPERINTENDENT PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

CHRIS TAYLOR, SERGEANT

POLICE DEPARTMENT

CPTED ASSESSMENT REPORT (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design)

FEBRUARY 25, 2009

LOCATION: Fremont Park SUMMARY: Fremont Park is located at 1515 Q Street within the City of Sacramento. The evaluators conducted an on-site walk thru on January 26, 2009 of the park and a nighttime walk thru to check current lighting levels. We base our recommendations upon the site visit, personal experience with the location and a twenty-four (24) month crime report analysis. CRIME ANALYSIS Fremont Park is located in Police District 3, Beat 3A, Grid 0765. Grid 0765 runs from 16th Street to 19th Street and from O Street to R Street. The evaluators requested the Sacramento Police Departments Crime Analysis Unit for information on a prior twenty-four (24) month period of calendar years 2007 and 2008. The following is a summary from the Crime Analysis Data provided by the Police Crime Analysis Unit.

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Statistics Grid 0765 – 2007/2008 (Includes Fremont Park) Total Calls for Service 2790 Citizen Initiated Calls 1486 Officer Initiated Calls 1304 Total Number of Reports 608 Statistics Fremont Park Total Call For Service 718 Citizen Initiated Calls 175 Officer Initiated Calls 543 Total Number of Reports 63 Percentage within Grid 0765 at Fremont Park Calls For Service 26%

Citizen Initiated Calls 12% Officer Initiated Calls 42% Total Number of Reports 10% Top Ten Activities - Grid 0765 (includes Fremont Park) Case Type – 2007 Count Case Type – 2008 Count Disturbing the Peace 187 Park Check 232* Traffic Stop 114 Disturbing the Peace 129 Park Check 104* Subject Stop 114 Subject Stop 77 Traffic Stop 85 Suspicious Person 56 Suspicious Person 73 Welfare Check 41 Drunk 47 Vehicle Accident 26 Welfare Check 37 Stolen Vehicle 23 Battery 35 Drunk Person 21 Vehicle Accident 32 Mental Subject 15 Stolen Vehicle 19

Top Ten Activities – Fremont Park Case Type – 2007 Count Case Type – 2008 Count Park Check 104* Park Check 232* Disturbing the Peace 45 Subject Stop 90 Suspicious Person 11 Disturbing the Peace 43 Battery 9 Suspicious Person 40 Drunk 7 Drunk 27 Welfare Check 5 Battery 16 Narcotic Activity 4 Mental Subject 3 Prostitution 2 Narcotic Activity 3 Assault 2 Domestic Violence 1 Petty Theft 1 Vandalism 1

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Note: There were an additional number of Park Checks by City Park Rangers 308 in 2007 and 632 in 2008 that were not recorded in the SPD System Top Ten Report Crimes – Grid 0765 (Includes Fremont Park) Offense Type 2007 Offense Type 2008 Stolen Vehicle 16 Stolen Vehicle 14 Vehicle Burglary 16 DUI 14 DUI 27 Petty Theft 13 Vandalism 8 False ID Alcohol 10 Mental Subject 7 Vandalism 9 Battery 6 Possess Marijuana 7 Assault WDW 5 Grand Theft 7 Alcohol By Minor 5 Assault WDW 6 Resisting Arrest 4 Battery 5 Burglary 4 Petty Theft 5

Crime Reports – Fremont Park Offense Type 2007 Offense Type 2008 In Park After Dark 2 Possess Marijuana 6 Assault WDW 3 Parole Violation 5 Possess Cont.Sub. 1 Possess Drug Para 4 Possess Marijuana 2 Possess Cont. Sub. 4 Adult In Playground 1 Assault WDW 2 Minor Possess Tobacco

1 In Park After Dark 2

Open Container 2 Minor Possess

Alcohol 2

Disorderly Conduct 2

Adult In Playground 1

Calls for Service by time – Includes Officer Initiated Calls Grid 0765 2007 2008 0600-1800 556 719 1800-0600 789 726

Fremont Park 0600-1800 151 349 1800-0600 77 141 Crime Reports by Time Grid 0765 2007 2008 0600-1800 99 116 1800-0600 190 203 Fremont Park 0600-1800 6 37 1800-0600 4 16

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OVERVIEW Fremont Park is located south of the downtown core of the City of Sacramento. The area consists of high-density housing, single-family housing, some small businesses, a light rail station, and various office buildings. It is one of the one square block Sutter Land Grant Parks. It is a 3.05 acre, plaza Style Park that includes an adventure play ground/tot lot, restroom, fountain, benches and picnic tables. It also has a well-developed tree canopy. THE PROBLEM - CONCERNS AND ISSUES The primary concern of residents who live and use the park is the socially inappropriate and occasional criminal behavior that occurs at the park. Persons associated with these activities, based upon anecdotal statements from Park Rangers and Police Officers stems from persons coming off the light-rail station from outside the area and some renters and/or individuals who are domiciled in designated housing near the park. The crime analysis supports this in that the same types of problems occur throughout Grid 0765. The socially inappropriate activity and occasional criminal activity that occurs at the Park has a direct impact on the “Quality of Life” for persons who own property and live in this Downtown Area. The Crime Analysis shows increases in activity from 2007 to 2008 relative to the Park. However, it should be noted that beginning in August 2007 thru December 2008 the focus on Fremont Park by Park Rangers and Police officers dramatically increased the number of park checks. This factor alone can account for much of the increase in verified case types and reported offenses. RECOMMENDATIONS: This assessment has been conducted as a service of the Park Safety-Ranger and Police CPTED – Units of the City of Sacramento. The recommendations contained herein, are from the guiding principles of CPTED, and The National Institute of Crime Prevention, observations and the experience of the staff completing this report. This report will assist you in improving the overall level of security and safety only. This report does not imply the existing security measures, or proposed security measures are absolute or perfect.

The most significant improvement that the evaluators recommend to address the issues and concerns is to increase the use of the Park via Community based recreational activities. This includes but is not limited to activities: such as expanding the current Farmers’ Market, Special Events - like “Chalk-It-Up”, movie nights, concerts, actively encourage the use of the park by private day-care and pre-school program providers in the area to use the park for physical activity, environmental education use, etc. Develop a program of drop-in and organized board games and tournaments, exercise programs, etc. This type of activity exhibits positive park use and discourages inappropriate behavior. This dramatically increases natural surveillance, discourages persons who do not

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participate in such activities from staying in the park, makes the location unappealing for those persons who are involved in inappropriate or criminal activity. Secondary Recommendations: (Not in Priority)

• Parking on the streets adjacent to the Park should be designated as “No Parking from Sunset to Sunrise,” in addition to any other needed restrictions.

• Landscaping should meet CPTED standards, it is noted that the current landscaping and maintenance is exceptional.

• All Benches and picnic tables shall conform to CPTED standards.

• Lighting should be increased around the restroom, we recommend soffit or wall packs on all four sides of the building, this lighting shall me IESNA standards.

• Current benches, tables, picnic areas need re-location and design changes, they need to meet CPTED standards.

• The evaluators must review all future locations, types and design of picnic tables, benches, etc. Tables and benches must not be clustered together, nor be placed in a manner along walkways that create a gauntlet effect. Once this process begins, we can provide recommendations from field-tested examples, which will improve the use of the Park and greatly reduce criminal and/or inappropriate behavior.

SIGNAGE

The current standard CPTED signs should be in place in City Parks.

• There was not a deficiency noted at the time of our evaluation. LANDSCAPING:

• All landscaping shall conform to CPTED standards.

• It is imperative that any future landscaping plans are coordinated with the lighting plans to ensure proper illumination and visibility is maintained through the maturity of the trees and shrubs. If the landscaping overwhelms the lighting and reduces visibility, it will create an environment for crime to occur. In order to preserve visibility, we recommend shrubs that mature around 2’ tall, and bushes or trees with canopy no lower than 8’tall.

FENCING and ACCESS CONTROL

• Current fencing and access control meets CPTED standards.

• Any future development or changes must be reviewed by the evaluators. LIGHTING

• The current lighting is minimally acceptable, however, should lighting changes be made they must meet IESNA standards.

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• An evaluation needs to be done by Urban Forest Service at night to see if some pruning and/or trimming of the existing trees can help with improving the existing lighting.

RESTROOM

• It is recommended that the current restroom closure policy be maintained. Should the restroom policy use be changed, the policy change shall not occur unless the restroom meets the current City of Sacramento CPTED Standards.