City officials and public agencies gathered at First Pilgrim Baptist Church to restart community meetings, providing residents with updates on local issues, crime statistics, and new initiatives, including an electronic reporting platform for non-emergency complaints.
Police Chief Rob Fincher presented crime statistics for the West End area, noting that while some slides showed multiple incidents, overall crime remains low.
“We took this church as the focal point and went out a mile from this church,” Fincher said. He explained that the inclusion of Memorial Boulevard, a major thoroughfare where officers frequently apprehend suspects in transit, made the crime numbers appear higher than they actually are.
“In 2023, we had 37 incidents in this community. In 2024, we had 21,” Fincher said.
Citywide, crime has been on a downward trend, with incidents dropping from 176 in 2022 to 161 in 2023 and 111 in 2024.
“We will continue to strive for those lower and lower numbers,” Fincher said, emphasizing that the West End remains a low-crime area. He attributed this to the strong sense of community and the older population living in the neighborhood.
Fincher believes communication among neighbors plays a key role in maintaining safety. To further these efforts, the police department will host a neighborhood watch discussion at 6:30 p.m. on March 20 at Albert Harris Elementary School.
Fincher also provided an update on speed enforcement in school zones, acknowledging that several city officials, including police officers and council members Julian Mei and Rayshaun Gravely, have received tickets.
“It really is working well. If you drive through, you’ll see that traffic is going slow now,” Fincher said.
Speeding violations in these zones do not affect driving records but must be paid by the due date. The tickets are issued to the vehicle owner, meaning they must notify officers if someone else was driving or request that person to pay the fine. The citation can be challenged in court but will still not impact the driver’s record.
Residents inquired about the effectiveness of the city’s gunshot detection sensors. Fincher said the sensors are operational and recently detected a single, non-threatening gunshot in the area. However, he noted that some calibration is still needed, as the sensors sometimes register other loud noises, such as trains.
A resident suggested increasing police presence in the area to deter potential crimes.
“At least it’s going to get the officer there faster in the area. Don’t stop calling 911,” Fincher said, urging residents not to rely solely on the detection system if they hear gunfire.
Public Works Director Greg Maggard addressed concerns about the new refuse ordinance and park maintenance.
One resident raised concerns about West End Park’s gate being left open at night and unauthorized vehicles using the service roads. Littering in the park was also mentioned.
Littering in the community in general was another concern. A resident suggested placing public trash cans in key areas.
“This is a walking community,” the resident noted.
Maggard also discussed upcoming changes to the traffic flow uptown, including which traffic lights will be retired, where new stop signs will be installed, and the reasoning behind the placement of new dumpsters.
The city’s new refuse ordinance aims to address improper trash disposal. Residents asked if new community members could be notified about garbage pickup times to prevent trash from sitting on streets for days.
Under the ordinance, all trash must be placed in cans, and penalties for violations have been reduced from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 4, allowing Public Works to enforce the rules with fines instead of potential jail time or large financial burdens.
A resident raised an issue about snowplows sweeping piles of snow and blocking driveways while clearing streets. Maggard was asked if there was a way to move snow between driveways instead.
“It would turn a one-day project into four or five,” Maggard said, explaining that stopping to clear each driveway individually would significantly delay the overall snow removal process.
Zoning Director Kris Bridges provided an update on property maintenance enforcement, and noted that “36 out of 37 cases have been resolved.”
Residents asked if the city could address trash issues behind homes.
“If an issue can’t be seen from the street, then the office is not able to enforce it,” Bridges said, citing Fourth Amendment restrictions.
“We have to be able to see it from the right-of-way. Now, we try to be as creative as we can—going to other streets behind it, trying to see in between other houses,” Bridges said.
Only violations visible from the street can be enforced. Current ordinances prohibit using indoor furniture, such as couches, outdoors and require inoperable vehicles to be covered with a proper car cover if they cannot be moved.
Management Analyst Kaylin Hernández introduced SeeClickFix, a new digital platform for reporting non-emergency issues. The system can be accessed via a mobile app or website.
City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides reassured residents that digital reporting is not the only option for submitting complaints.
“I don’t want anyone to think that will limit your ability to let your city know what’s needed,” she said.
A resident inquired about rising energy rates. City officials explained that recent rate increases were due to multiple cold snaps over the past few months. Residents are encouraged to contact the energy department for more information on their bills and energy usage.
