Crime-fighting program expands to Duluth’s Hillside

The Duluth Police Department intends to build on the success of a crime-fighting initiative launched last year in Lincoln Park by rolling out a similar program in Duluth’s Hillside neighborhood on Thursday.
Retired Duluth police Lt. Leigh Wright credits a program that targeted problem behavior in Lincoln Park for reducing the number of police calls to the area around the Seaway Hotel by 42 percent, from the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of this year.
By bringing community members together to focus on improving the area, Wright said the neighborhood made significant progress. She hopes to replicate the model in the neighborhoods around Duluth’s medical district next and eventually citywide. The Compstat program provides the public with the latest incident data in order to gauge the effectiveness of various crime-reduction strategies.
The first Hillside Compstat meeting is from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday at 1 Roof Community Housing, 12 E. Fourth St.
Interested community members are invited to attend and share their thoughts and concerns.  
For more information, call (218) 390-9296 or email lwright@1roofhousing.org .