BROKEN WINDOWS THEORY / REMOVING HANGING SHOES FROM POWER LINES

Motion - Throughout the City, there has been a recent rise in discarded shoes hanging from power lines and poles. According to local law enforcement officials, this practice is related to gangs marking the boundaries of their territory and drug dealers advertising their presence in a neighborhood. This is a problem that must be readily addressed in order to avoid additional blight and related crimes. The "Broken Windows" theory states that petty crimes, such as breaking windows and vandalism, should be quickly resolved in order to deter major crimes from occurring. By fixing problems such as vandalism and graffiti in a day or two, problems do not escalate and thus residents can maintain their neighborhoods and don't flee. This theory has proved successful in major cities throughout the country, resulting in reduced crime rates. Given this, the Broken Windows theory should be applied to the issue of discarded shoes hanging from power lines. The Department of Water and Power is responsible for the operation and maintenance of power lines within the City's jurisdiction. In order to effectively apply the Broken Windows theory, the Department should respond to requests to remove hanging shoes from power lines within 72-hours. Additionally, the Police Department should report on the feasibility of fining individuals that engage in this action. THEREFORE MOVE that the Department of Water and Power report to the Committees of Public Safety and Energy and Environment in 30 days on the feasibility of responding to requests to remove hanging shoes from power lines and related utility equipment within a 72-hour period. FURTHER MOVE that the Police Department concurrently report on the feasibility of fining individuals that repeatedly hang shoes from power lines and related utility equipment. REFER TO COUNCIL FILE 99-1690