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On January 26, 1989, an astounding 2,500 people gathered at a community meeting to take a stand against the crime and violence that was overwhelming Pierce County. They had a clear message for community leaders: They wanted to take back their neighborhoods, schools and communities. They wanted safe streets. So the Safe Streets Campaign was born.
Initiated as a project of Pierce County government through an inter-local agreement among the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Tacoma Public Schools and United Way, the Safe Streets Campaign incorporated as a separate and independent non-profit organization in 1995.
The organization has become the systematic change agent that harnesses the power of community collaboration, helps people overcome their fears and gives them hope to tackle their community’s challenges.
The Campaign’s community mobilization model was the impetus |
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for important changes that happened in the cities of Tacoma and Lakewood and unincorporated Pierce County as well. Involved citizens helped to launch neighborhood councils in 16 regions of the county, rallied for Community Policing Programs in Tacoma and Lakewood and established Tacoma’s Drug House Elimination Team. These programs created real connections between public servants and those they serve, and the resulting partnership has helped local governments make better use of resources. Now, citizens have direct input into what improvements happen in their community and see government as a community resource.
Our Block Watch groups work with city and county leaders to direct funding to their neighborhood parks, sidewalks, lighting, or to get laws passed to better protect the community. Working closely with police and other government officials, people help to shut down meth labs and get the word out to the community about the dangers of methamphetamine.
Because of energetic, system-wide collaboration and community mobilization, the Safe Streets Campaign has a dramatic track record. In sixteen years, we have organized more than 5,000 Block Watch Groups representing about a half million people. Ongoing: 1,700 groups—or 20 percent of the population of Tacoma/Pierce County—are at work improving their communities. Criminal gang membership—at an all time high of 2,500 in 1990 has since dwindled to 500 in 2003. Neighbors take care of any graffiti that shows up, so city maintenance crews don’t have to. Citizen patrols keep an eye on what’s happening in their neighborhoods and parks, and report criminal activities to the police before trouble has an opportunity to take hold.
And through our Youth Leading Change program, youth are engaged in leadership activities, working to promote healthier choices among their peers. Founded in 1996, the program has grown into and reaches out to high school aged youth around Pierce County.
Our efforts to improve community safety have received national attention. In 1995, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America honored Safe Streets with an “Outstanding Urban Coalition Award” and former President Clinton recognized the campaign. In 2002, Drug Enforcement Agency Director Asa Hutchison acknowledged Safe Streets for its innovative approach in enhancing neighborhood safety, especially concerning the methamphetamine epidemic. In 2004, Priscilla Lisicich, executive director of Safe Streets, presented our community organizing strategy on methamphetamine abuse prevention during a national audio-conference for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and at the 2004 National Prevention Network Conference.
Most recently, Safe Streets has partnered with Pierce County Alliance (treatment) and law enforcement to build a statewide interdisciplinary approach to reducing and preventing methamphetamine.