DEMOCRAT

SOUTH BEND

We’re Building A SAFER South Bend!

Public safety is a top priority for Mayor Luecke’s administration. 75% of the City’s general fund is devoted to police and fire operations. Safety – and the perception of it – is critical to the quality of life in South Bend. In 2006 there were 24% fewer reported crimes in South Bend than when Mayor Steve took office in 1997. And three categories of crimes – rape, aggravated assault and non-residential burglary – are at their lowest levels in 11 years.

But perceptions tend to obscure the reality. In the wake of the highly publicized shootings of a police officer a year after the city honored another fallen policeman, there have been many misstatements. Several media organizations reported that South Bend police face higher risks than all but one Midwestern city of similar size. But when a sociologist examined the data in an “apples to apples” comparison, she found South Bend ranked in the middle of the pack, well behind both Gary and Hammond, which ranked first and second, respectively. The original article “employed some data analysis worthy of a place in Darrell Huff’s classic, ‘How to Lie with Statistics,’” she wrote.

The reality is this: We are building a safer South Bend with better equipped, better trained, and better paid police officers and firefighters. This investment in public safety -- most visibly symbolized by the construction of new, state-of-the-art headquarters for police and fire -- is a hallmark of the Luecke administration.

The South Bend Police Department is achieving higher standards under the Luecke administration:

Officers average 3 times the amount of continuing education training than is statemandated in tactical skills as well as diversity and leadership training.

Proactive strategies implemented to reduce crime include several initiatives in three broad areas:

Gun violence – As a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Luecke works with a bipartisan coalition for comprehensive change.

Project Disarm Task Force – this city initiative focuses on taking illegal firearms off the streets and prosecuting violators, resulting in 141 arrests, 115 convictions, and 1,025 firearms confiscated.
Community Education – The Community Oriented Policing approach begun in Luecke’s tenure helps improve the department’s professionalism.

Regional Crime Intelligence Unit – provides up-to-date information on crime hot spots and trends to better direct patrols.

Gang Resistance Education & Training program – helps our children stay out of gang activity

Community outreach programs like the Citizen’s Police Academy, Volunteers in Police Service, Civilian Volunteer Officers, Neighborhood Watch, and Business Watch all reflect a community-oriented policing philosophy that relies on partnerships with citizens to build a safer South Bend.
Technological superiority – With Mayor Luecke’s encouragement and support, South Bend police have the latest tools in their crime-fighting belts.

Technology like the Automated Fingerprint Identification System helps identify suspects and the Integrated Ballistic Identification System reads the “fingerprints” of bullets and casing helps solve cases.

On-board laptop computers and in-car video cameras aid our officers on patrol, and sophisticated radio communication equipment enables seamless communication.

The South Bend Fire Department, now transitioning to a new generation of leadership, continues rank among the state’s premiere fire departments, thanks to the support of the Luecke administration.

The department’s Fire Prevention/Inspection Bureau has been recognized as the Inspection Bureau of the Year by the Fire Inspectors Association of Indiana.
Former Fire Chief Luther Taylor saw firsthand “how well-equipped and staffed the South Bend Fire Department is” when he traveled the state’s 92 counties as head of Indiana’s State Emergency Management Agency.
New Fire Chief Howard Buchanon is the first to have served at every leadership level throughout the department.
The new headquarters on South Michigan Street can accommodate future growth as it facilitates a partnership with Ivy Tech on a paramedic degree program, benefiting the community.
Three new fire stations have been built in Mayor Luecke’s tenure: the new Headquarters, Fire Station No. 10 on York Road and Fire Station No. 2, scheduled for completion in July on Lincolnway West and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. A fourth was renovated: Fire Station No. 7 at 616 Portage Ave.
Planning is under way for a Level 3 regional emergency training center serving area firefighters, law enforcement, hospitals, and emergency management personnel.
Firefighters have received upgraded firefighting and lifesaving equipment, from new and refurbished vehicles, turnout gear, defibrillators, computers on board, as well as the use of the latest technology in fire suppression.
Specialists conduct Swiftwater Rescue training sessions on the East Race, drawing participants from across the nation.
Ambulance and EMS services are provided not only for South Bend, but also under contract agreement with St. Joseph County, the University of Notre Dame and Memorial Hospital’s neonatal ambulance.
Firefighters receive ongoing training in all aspects of rescue, fire prevention and suppression, emergency medical services, as well as addressing homeland security issues on a local level through terrorism preparedness.