http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2017/10/24/police-officer-honored-for-help-with-chronic-problem-property-ordinance/
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REPORT A DRUG HOUSE SAVE A CHILD REPORT A DRUG HOUSE SAVE A CHILD REPORT A DRUG HOUSE SAVE A CHILD REPORT A DRUG HOUSE SAVE A CHILD
TOM OSTROGNAI DAVID C ROACH CITY COUNCIL 1990'S DRUG WARS CRACK EPIDEMIC-
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Fort Wayne Police Department Capt. P.J. Smith, at podium, speaks Monday night at the Neighborhoods United Group meeting after members honored him for his work on the city's Chronic Problem Property ordinance. Standing with Smith, from left, are NUG leaders Bud Mendenhall, Deb Elliott and Kay Smith-Shoemaker and Fort Wayne Police Chief Steve Reed. (By Kevin Kilbane of The News-Sentinel)
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Members of the Neighborhoods United Group honored Fort Wayne Police Capt. P.J. Smith on Monday night for his work to help neighborhoods and for helping city officials craft the Chronic Problem Property ordinance, which was passed by Fort Wayne City Council.
Smith was honored during the NUG’s meeting at Grace Presbyterian Church, 1811 Fairhill Road.
He and Fort Wayne Police Chief Steve Reed also answered residents’ questions about the new ordinance and other efforts to control drug dealing and additional problems.
Before the award presentation, Reed praised Smith as an officer who is “always there” for people and as someone he can count on, particularly for special assignments.
During his comments about the Chronic Problem Property ordinance, Reed told NUG members the public discussion leading to its passage by City Council already has reduced the number of police calls to problem commercial properties.
The ordinance describes “chronic problem properties” as ones that “cause a financial burden upon the city by the numerous calls for service to the properties because of illegal and/or nuisance activities that repeatedly occur.”
A business can be ruled a “chronic problem” after it generates 12 or more valid complaints under local, state or federal law within a 90-day period or if it has received at least 12 compliance orders from local authorities during that period.
The goal is to get owners of problem commercial properties to work with city officials on resolving the problems, residents learned.
The city’s longtime drug house ordinance will be used to go after drug dealing operations and the owners of properties where they operate, officials said.
Most of the police calls in the northwest part of the city come from the low-cost hotels and motels along West Coliseum Boulevard, Smith told the group. Those calls often involve drug use, drug overdoses and family fights.
With the Chronic Problem Property ordinance in place, police hope to spend less time on calls to problem properties and more time in neighborhoods working to make residents lives better, Smith said.
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