TITLE: Title
Follow-up report on activity for the area of Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road.
PURPOSE: At the Board of Alderman meeting on October 18, 2016, the Board received comments from citizens concerning the behavior of individuals at the intersection of Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road. After hearing the comments, The Board members directed staff to provide information on what is occurring at the corner, and possible solutions.
body
DEPARTMENT: Police
CONTACT INFORMATION: Chief Walter Horton 919-918-7397
INFORMATION: The intersection of Davie Road and Jones Ferry has historically has been a place where day laborers gather to seek employment. In 2007, a community meeting, and public hearing were held to address citizen complaints about behavior at the corner and throughout the neighborhood. The following problems were associated with the congregation at the corner, accumulation of trash; consumption of alcohol; public urination and defecation; trespassing and verbal harassment or intimidation of females in the area.
As a result of that meeting, the Board adopted an ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Amending the Town Code to Prohibit Persons from Remaining or Lingering within a Specified Area of the Town’s Right of Way at the Intersection of Jones Ferry Road and Davie Street.” The ordinance provided the stipulation that no person may stand, sit, recline, linger, or otherwise remain in the area during the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
In 2011, questions about the constitutionality of the Ordinance were raised, and it was repealed in November 2011. Since then traffic and undesirable behavior have increased at the intersection of Davie Road and Jones Ferry. To organize the day labors and move them to a central location, El Centro Hispano created the Center for Employment and Leadership (CEL) in May of 2014. They have success with the CEL program, but still individuals chose to remain at the corner and seek employment.
On October 18, 2016, the Board Aldermen received public comment from citizens who live in the area about the continuing problems in the area, such as accumulation of trash; consumption of alcohol; public urination and defecation; trespassing and verbal harassment or intimidation of females in the area.
The Board then directed staff to provide information on law enforcement calls for service in the area, current enforcement practices, and possible solutions to the problems happening at the intersection of Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road.
Calls for Service for area
During January 1, 2016 - October 19, 2016, the Carrboro Police Department responded to 424 calls for service in area Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road, and the area immediately adjacent. A further breakdown of calls of interest is available in Attachment A.
Law Enforcement Action
During the period of January1, 2016 - October 19, 2016 the Carrboro Police took the following enforcement actions in the area of Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road, and the area immediately adjacent. These actions consisted of directed patrols, foot patrols, citations, and arrests. Please refer to Attachment B for a further Breakdown of these activities.
Proposed Solutions
Below are some possible solutions, which can be performed by the staff to decrease the problems in the area that the staff can perform.
1) Continue to work with El Centro Hispano to promote the Center for Employment (CEL) and Leadership. This could include placing signage in the area promoting CEL and encouraging contractors seeking workers to use CEL.
2) Identify wording placed on signs that discourage current behavior in the area, and have them installed in the right-of-way of Davie Road and Jones Ferry Road. The wording would be in English and Spanish. See Attachment C for sign examples.
3) Continue directed and foot patrols in the area.
4) Increased enforcement actions by allowing the Carrboro Police to adopt a no tolerance policy when dealing with violations that occur in this area. To include continuing directed and foot patrols, issuing citations and arresting those in violations of laws and ordinances.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: The Board’s actions will determine fiscal and staff impact.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff Recommend the Board provided direction on how to proceed.