For the fourth consecutive year, the Housing Authority Insurance (HAI) Group has selected a St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) program as one of the best in the nation. The HAI Group named SPHA’s Community Policing and Crime Prevention program as the First Runner Up in their 2014 Best Practices and Housing Authority Risk Retention Innovation Awards Competition. SPHA is one of only two housing authorities in the United States to receive this year’s awards.
Detecting and eliminating crime from subsidized housing is an issue for housing authorities throughout the nation. However, police departments typically do not generate crime statistics specific to public housing developments, and housing authorities do not always have the relationships they need with the officers patrolling their neighborhoods. Public housing management often faces difficulty in obtaining specific information about disturbances and illegal activities, specifically those that occur after office hours. This breakdown of communication leaves the housing authority in a reactive stance, which is ineffective and inefficient.
Under the leadership of CEO Darrell Irions, SPHA’s Community Policing and Crime Prevention program addresses these issues. The St. Petersburg Police Department has designated one specific Community Police Officer for all SPHA properties, including public housing and Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8. The Community Police Officer acts as SPHA’s law enforcement liaison, working directly with SPHA staff to proactively address and eliminate criminal activities.
As CEO, Darrell Irions believes that it is very important that SPHA takes a proactive stance on fighting crime. He says. "Our strong relationship with local law enforcement is a benefit to our residents, our community, and our agency. We are very proud that the HAI Group sees the value in community policing programs like ours and is promoting our example as an industry best practice.”
Detecting and eliminating crime from subsidized housing is an issue for housing authorities throughout the nation. However, police departments typically do not generate crime statistics specific to public housing developments, and housing authorities do not always have the relationships they need with the officers patrolling their neighborhoods. Public housing management often faces difficulty in obtaining specific information about disturbances and illegal activities, specifically those that occur after office hours. This breakdown of communication leaves the housing authority in a reactive stance, which is ineffective and inefficient.
Under the leadership of CEO Darrell Irions, SPHA’s Community Policing and Crime Prevention program addresses these issues. The St. Petersburg Police Department has designated one specific Community Police Officer for all SPHA properties, including public housing and Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8. The Community Police Officer acts as SPHA’s law enforcement liaison, working directly with SPHA staff to proactively address and eliminate criminal activities.
As CEO, Darrell Irions believes that it is very important that SPHA takes a proactive stance on fighting crime. He says. "Our strong relationship with local law enforcement is a benefit to our residents, our community, and our agency. We are very proud that the HAI Group sees the value in community policing programs like ours and is promoting our example as an industry best practice.”