City of Vallejo - Beat Health Program

Beat Health Program

To provide professional law enforcement services that enhance, protect, and promote the quality of life in Vallejo with an emphasis on the shared responsibility between citizens, businesses, community agencies and the police.

Beat Health is a unit of the Vallejo Police Department designed to supplement traditional law enforcement and approaches to drug and gang related problems in Vallejo. This is a nationally recognized program which started in Oakland, California and was implemented in Vallejo in 1995. The Beat Health Unit''s abatement approach centers on combining the efforts of as many city, county, state, private agencies and neighborhood groups as possible to bring a property or an area up to standard.

Beat Health Resources are the City of Vallejo's Police Department, Code Enforcement, Fire Department, Housing, Flood and Sanitation and a Special Multi Agency Response Team (SMART). Beat Health personnel meet and work with residents, businesses, neighborhood and business groups to enhance, promote and maintain the quality of life in Vallejo. A Police Supervisor, Police Officer, Police Assistant and a Code Enforcement Officer is dedicated at each of three substation locations. A Beat Health Business Liaison Officer is dedicated to providing the business community specialized police services from the Beat Health program. A Beat Health Commander is dedicated to combine all resources and provide guidance for the maximum effectiveness and continuous improvement of the Beat Health program.

How the Program Works

The program uses a three pronged approach to lessen the threat to our neighborhoods posed by the proliferation of drug and crime related activities:

1. CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, SECTION 11570, "THE DRUG NUISANCE ABATEMENT ACT" The Drug Nuisance Abatement Act was passed in 1972. The use of this Act is Beat Health''s main mission. It states in part: "Every building or place used for the purposes of unlawfully selling, serving, storing, keeping, manufacturing, or giving away any controlled substance, precursor, or analog specified in this division, and every building or place wherein or upon which those acts take place, is a nuisance which shall be enjoined, abated, and prevented, and or which damages may be covered, whether it is a public or private nuisance." The City Attorney can seek a temporary restraining order in Superior Court. If the court finds a nuisance exists, it may order:

1. Elimination of the nuisance.
2. Removal and sale of the fixtures and other removable property used in the maintenance of the nuisance.
3. Up to $25,000 in civil penalties.
4. Closure of the building for a period of up to one year or damages in the amount of the fair rental value of the property for a period of one year.
5. Sale of the entire property to reimburse the city for its costs.

Owners, as well as tenants, may be held responsible for the maintenance of these nuisances. Owners can be required to pay the costs of relocating innocent tenants. In cases where reluctant or uncooperative property owners do not control their properties, 11570 provides the means to compel compliance. Usually, landlords will voluntarily obey the letter and spirit of Section 11570 when they are informed of its provisions.

2. CRIMINAL NUISANCE ABATEMENT. THE S.M.A.R.T. APPROACH This is a Specialized Multi-Agency Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.). It involves cooperation between as many city, county, state, and private agencies as possible. The concerted effort of these agencies is an essential element of the S.M.A.R.T. approach. Some property owners profit from the drug trade by renting otherwise substandard or uninhabitable units to dealers or users. The tenants ignore housing violations and the landlord ignores drug related activities in a mutually beneficial arrangement. The S.M.A.R.T. technique insists that property owners comply with civil, criminal, housing, health and safety codes. Consequently, renting to users and sellers becomes less profitable. These properties are then either refurbished to become habitable dwellings in conformity with the surrounding neighborhood or boarded up to prevent continued disruption and deterioration of the area until refurbishing can be completed. Evictions, when necessary, are handled by the owner in the traditional manner. Enforcement of housing and safety codes can frequently result in speedy solutions to neighborhood blight and drug dealing. With the cooperation of the owners, properties can be inspected, cleaned, and boarded up. Beat Health''s use of the Drug Nuisance Abatement Act is linked with a coordinated S.M.A.R.T. approach. Beat Health uses both methods in appropriate combinations to effect desired results.

3. CIVIL ABATEMENT PROCESS. NEIGHBORS HELP IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT. Neighbors are a main source of information and can remain anonymous. They are thus shielded from retaliation, both physical or legal. Neighborhood groups can also be of assistance if property owners do not take any action to abate the nuisance or are not willing to cooperate. Formerly known as Vallejo Safe Streets Now, neighborhood groups can sue property owners in Small Claims Court for allowing a public nuisance to emanate from his/her property. City personnel and private citizens have been trained to assist groups through the Civil Court Process. They will teach groups how to organize their blocks, how to document illegal activity safely, how to prepare their case for court, and how to present their case in court. A representative will see the group through the process.

BEAT HEALTH PROGRAMS BEAT HEALTH offers programs within its program.
Neighborhood Watch	Vehicle Abatement
Forming Neighborhood Associations	Community Clean Up
Landlord / Tenant Training	Fire Prevention Programs
V-FOG (Vallejo-Free of Graffiti)	Business Liaison

The main resources are the City of Vallejo's Police Department and Code Enforcement Division. Beat Health personnel will meet and work with you to close the drug house in your neighborhood. A Police Supervisor, Police Officer, Police Assistant, and a Code Enforcement Officer is dedicated to your area of the city at the community stations.

Beat Health Business Liason Officer

The Business Liaison Officer is committed to establishing and maintaining personal contacts with the people in the business community and is expected to have a positive impact in preventing crimes. More concentrated interfacing between the police department, the community and businesses will enable us to build a stronger working relationship. With open communication already established, the business community will feel more comfortable contacting the police department with questions and concerns of suspicious activity. It is the goal of the Business Liaison Officer to improve the relationship and level of service to our business community.

Contact:
Business Liaison Officer
Central Community Station
649-3573

When Does the City Take Property Owners to Court?

Lawsuits are the tactic of last resort. It is advantageous to all parties to resolve these issues without filing court cases.

Target properties are recommended for court action when drug activity continues despite efforts by Beat Health to help property owners abate the situation. When it becomes evident that an owner is uncooperative, declarations are prepared which verify police reports and Beat Health activities concerning that property. Declarations from citizens are desirable but not necessary. A completed file is then turned over to the City Attorney''s Office.

How Soon Will Beat Health Take Action?

There are many different levels of response that occur. A preliminary investigation is conducted on every complaint received by Beat Health.

The lifetime of a project varies from a few days to over a year depending on:

1. The weight of corroborating evidence
2. The level of cooperation by the property owner
3. The level of cooperation by the tenants
4. The presence of children and seniors (speeds up a project)
5. The number of units in a complex
6. Beat Health case load

Help for Property Owners Another weapon Beat Health uses against drug dealers is education for landlords. Seminars will be offered to Vallejo landlords, training them how to screen out lawbreaking tenants. They will learn property management techniques which can detect and discourage the development of illegal activities.

The underlying premise of landlord training is that it benefits the community as a whole. Neighborhoods, Landlords, Tenants, and the City profit when communities become safer and more stable. For more information Call:

Central Community Station
648-5262

When You call Beat Health

You will be asked to provide information that will help the police in their investigation.

They will need to know the date and time of drug-related activity, the exact address, descriptions of suspected dealers or customers, license plate numbers, descriptions of automobiles, and where the drugs are hidden.

Beat Health
Information Line
644-4VPD x(4873)