EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT REAFFIRMS LEADERSHIP
IN THE MULTI - HOUSING CRIME FREE PROGRAM

El Cajon PD's pioneering "Crime-Free Multi-Housing Program."
(Which originated as a concept in Mesa, Arizona, in July, 1992).
Launched here in October, 1997, out of necessity, is spreading far beyond the city line.  Flowers are now blooming where weeds once flourished, sociologically speaking.  Goodbye punks, drunks and dopers. Hello Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public.

     Officer Christopher Krug, and Officer Susan Stoller, along with other architects of the preventive enforcement effort, continues to exchange the latest success stories and new techniques in pro-active, apartment-stile peacekeeping. "We've become, by demand, the principal crime-free training agency in the region," said Officer Krug.

      He credited La Mesa, another East County community, with a high percentage of rentals, and Chula Vista for "exceptional efforts in implementing the program."

      Krug said that one goal of crime-free planning is to reduce crime across-the-board and to give apartment dwellers and owners some needed support.  One of the complexes we certified as crime-free a year ago used to be a big problem. We recorded 183 calls for police there during the prior twelve months. In the year since the complex has been certified, we responded to 20 calls. That means not only that the apartment is a safer place live, but also that the police resources can be redirected to a larger population.

      El Cajon realizes a serious problem with too many renters without roots. (The city of 100,000 has the highest level of rental units in the county at 52%).  The crime-free multi-housing program along with community policing became a necessity.

      Now as a direct result of the crime-free program (over 102 complexes have been certified), occupancy levels are up, and tenants are staying longer. Rents have rebounded up enough to cover spending on preventive maintenance.

      The crime-free multi-housing strategy relies upon local law enforcement officers, property owners, managers and the tenants to collaborate on community-building initiatives.  By adopting proven approaches to tenant screening, lease tightening, code compliance and pro-active policing, crime-free coalition partners present a formidable front against neighborhood deterioration.

      The success of the Crime-Free Program continues in El Cajon due to the exemplary cooperation and participation of owners and property managers like Chris Stirling who has dramatically upgraded the "quality of life" standards for her residents.

      Chris Stirling, Property Supervisor, manages apartments on Chase Avenue, Oro Street and Jamacha Road. Before the Jamacha Road complex became a crime-free community, it had experienced a tenant out of control who had fired a shotgun at police.  Because of this communities continued commitment to the Crime-Free Program, it is a safer experience for the El Cajon Police if they are called.

      Our hats off to the El Cajon Police Department and the Residential Management Support System, Inc.® for their combined efforts in continuing to help clean up problem communities.