El Cajon Police Department
CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING
The El Cajon Police Department Participates in the
Crime Free Multi-Housing Program.
What is the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program?
WHERE IT BEGAN:
The CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM began in Mesa, Arizona in July 1992. It has spread across the United States and to Canada in a very short time. This program was designed to be law enforcement driven. The El Cajon Police Department adopted the program in 1997. Since this time the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, La Mesa Police Department, Oceanside Police Department and Chula Vista Police Department have joined the program in San Diego County.
The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is a, state-of-the-art, crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment properties. The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program have spread to nearly 2,000 cities in 44 U.S. states, 5 Canadian Provinces, Mexico, England, Finland, Japan, Russia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Puerto Rico. Australia has expressed interest in adopting the program.
The CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM is a unique, three-phase certification program for rental properties of all sizes, including single family rental homes. The first phase is the completion of an eight (8) hour program taught by attorneys, police and fire personnel. Frequently, guest speakers will also attend to address specific topics relating to rental properties. This police-sponsored program is designed to be very easy, yet extremely effective, at reducing criminal activity in rental properties.
The CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM addresses these topics:
Understanding Crime Prevention
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (C.P.T.E.D.)
Resident Selection and Eviction Process
Common Sense Self Defense
Community Rules/Policies
Building Apartment Communities
Good Property Management
Combating Illegal Activity (Drugs, Gangs, Graffiti, Etc.)
Partnership with the Police Department
Partnership with the Fire Department
Dealing with Non-Compliance
The Federal Fair Housing Laws
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Property owners, managers, leasing staff, maintenance personnel and others in the management team should attend the entire 8-hour training program. It is also recommended that police officers attend the training to understand the civil nature of rental communities, and to establish a rapport with managers of rental properties.
PHASE ONE: TRAINING
After completion of the 8 hour training program, each participant will receive a certificate which has been signed by the Chief of Police. The certificate is also signed by the program coordinator of the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM, who sponsors the training.
This green certificate is to be immediately framed and displayed in the leasing office or in a prominent place where applicants are sure to see it. Prospective residents should be told as soon as possible that the property management is working with the police to keep the community healthy. If there is no leasing office, a certificate can be displayed in a 3-ring notebook with other materials used in the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM. The manager or owner should show the notebook to prospective residents.
Participating managers should also begin immediate implementation of the Crime Free Lease Addendum, which is the backbone of the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM. This addendum to the lease cites specific actions that will be taken by management if a resident, or somebody under the resident’s control, is involved in illegal or dangerous activity on or near the rental property.
If the management is conducting a background check that includes credit and criminal information, the applicant should be informed before they turn in the application or pay any fees or deposits. Every prospective resident must be treated exactly the same as the others. It is important to develop office policies to ensure this.
Our next manager training is going to be on:
Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 8:00AM
at
The Ronald Reagan Community Center
195 E Douglas, El Cajon
Please RSVP to S. Hook at
619-579-4227
PHASE TWO: CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN INSPECTION. (C.P.T.E.D.)
In the second phase of the program an El Cajon Community Policing Officer will inspect the rental property to assess physical security and general appearance of the property. If the property meets the department’s requirements, a second certificate signed by the Chief of Police will be issued in the name of the apartment complex.
This pink certificate will certify the property has met the minimum security requirements of the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM. The minimum security requirements are:
MANDATORY C.P.T.E.D. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:
v DEAD BOLTS ON ALL ENTRY DOORS
v 180-190 DEGREE EYE VIEWERS ON ENTRY DOORS
v ANTI-LIFT/SLIDE DEVICES ON SLIDING DOORS & WINDOWS
v 2”-3”SCREWS IN STRIKE PLATES
v PROPER TRIMMIN OF TREES AND BUSHES
v ADEQUATE SECURITY LIGHTING
PHASE THREE: SAFETY SOCIAL
In the third and final phase of the program an El Cajon Community Policing Officer will conduct a “Safety Social” for residents at the rental property. This will include information about general safety principles and crime prevention, including Neighborhood Watch information. This will also give the officer the opportunity to explain the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM to the residents of the rental community.
Management is responsible for providing food, non-alcoholic drinks and entertainment for this event. It is also recommended that property managers raffle door prizes as an added incentive to draw residents to the meeting. It is necessary to conduct at least one (1) meeting per year to maintain membership in the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM.
A blue certificate will be issued at the Safety Social to demonstrate to the residents that management is committed, and has completed all three (3) phases of the program.
FULL CERTIFICATION
Once fully certified, the property manager will receive a gold certificate. (This certificate is the only certificate that has an expiration date. It is renewed each year after the subsequent Safety Social and C.P.T.E.D. Inspection has been conducted.)
After completion of the first safety social, the management can post the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM signs on the property. It is recommended that one sign be posted at each entrance to the property where prospective residents will see them.
The sign is the property of the El Cajon Police Department and permission to display the sign can be revoked if the property is sold, the management no longer wishes to participate in the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM, a new manager takes over and refuses to be trained, or the complex no longer meets the C.P.T.E.D. requirements of the program.
An added incentive to reach full certification is the use of the CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING PROGRAM logo in all appropriate advertisements, as well as on company letterheads, business cards and associated paperwork.
This logo has achieved a very high level of recognition in the United States and Canada. It has proven very effective in attracting honest residents looking for safe housing. It has worked equally well to discourage those looking for an apartment unit for conducting criminal activities.
In addition to the obvious benefits derived from the program by participants, such as increased revenue, more responsible tenants, less crime and higher occupancy rates, we will seek to obtain other incentives as well. In many areas of the country, participants enjoy discount rates for property insurance, building improvement purchases from local businesses, and other discounts by displaying their certificate of completion from the program.
MAINTAINING CRIME FREE SIGNS
It is the responsibility of the management to maintain and replace all lost or damaged signs. Contact the Crime Free Program Coordinator if this occurs. Fortunately, in speaking with other police departments, few if any signs have been stolen or damaged. No fading has shown on the brightly colored signs. It is a good idea to use a car wax on signs to prevent them from fading or cracking in the hot El Cajon sun.
Carefully consider how each sign is installed to prevent easy removal. Through bolts can be bent or stripped to prevent removal. Signs can be attached with liquid nails and/or bolted to a building at a height that cannot be reached.
PHONE-IN REQUESTS
An additional advantage to being fully certified is that people can call the police department or check the website
www.elcajonpolice.org for a list of fully certified properties
PROGRAM INFORMATION
For further information, questions regarding the program or to register for the next training class, please contact Samantha Hook at 619-579-4227.
