NCJ Number
147245
Journal
Public Management Dated: (October 1992) Pages: 16-20
Date Published
1992
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes how Tacoma, Washington, combined Safe Streets measures, community-oriented policing, and cultural diversity enhancement to create a successful citizen-government partnership which addresses the issues of crime in the neighborhoods and citizen unrest.
Abstract
In 1989, Tacoma gained national attention when predominantly white Fort Lewis Army Rangers engaged in a shoot-out with local African-American drug dealers/gang members. This incident highlighted the need for the city and the community to better focus efforts to ensure cultural understanding and racial harmony. In June 1990, a Community Summit reaffirmed the area's commitment to community involvement and diversity. Safe Streets, formed in 1989 to take back the city's streets from drug dealers and gang members, helped unify the community by involving teams of neighborhood individuals in cleanup programs and graffiti control and working with police to reduce crime. The city of Tacoma is divided into four police sectors, with officers assigned to specific sectors in a community-oriented policing program which allows the officers to shape their crime-fighting efforts to meet the needs of their sector. The city has instituted mandatory cultural diversity workshops for all employees, and cultural diversity is a criterion in the future promotion of city employees. The city offers employees training in working with disabled employees, changing relationships of men and women, a multicultural approach to management, sexual harassment prevention, cross-cultural communication, and diversity in placement. In addition, the city has formed cultural diversity training partnerships with community organizations and agencies. The Human Rights Department, in partnership with community organizations, offers a variety of cultural observances and events. The city of Tacoma hopes to promote its diversity as an asset to the community by: (1) developing a community ethnic and cultural diversity plan; (2) attaining and maintaining a city workforce that is representative of the community; (3) achieving an increase in the participation of minority- and women-owned businesses providing services to the city; and (4) providing increased ethnic diversity and cultural representation in selected city activities.