Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Alberta

City/ Region:

Edmonton

Description of Initiative:

Edmonton’s Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (N.E.T.) is a partnership between the City of Edmonton Community Services, Edmonton Police Service, The Family Centre, and United Way of the Alberta Capital Region.

Teams work with residents, businesses and organizations to build sustainable solutions to crime and disorder. A typical N.E.T. team is made up of a City of Edmonton community capacity builder, an Edmonton Police Service constable and a youth liaison from The Family Centre, offering a diverse mix of social, policing and youth services to the community.

Currently, N.E.T. teams are deployed in five Edmonton neighbourhoods: 118th Avenue, Inglewood, Queen Alexandra, Killarney and Forest Heights.

To support an intentional and truly preventative approach to reducing violent crime, N.E.T. teams are incorporating the integration of advanced analysis to drive operations and projects (root cause analysis framework), which will focus efforts into the future.

Initiative Key Objectives:

This initiative has several objectives:

  • reduce crime and disorder within targeted neighbourhoods;
  • integrate innovative approaches (e.g., root cause analysis); and
  • provide a multidisciplinary response.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

Collaborative Policing Section

Key Contact:

Michelle Fillion
Michelle.Fillion@edmontonpolice.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

  • community groups
  • private agencies/corporations
  • other government departments/agencies - consultative (information sharing)
  • other government departments/agencies - cooperative (direct involvement)
  • academic institutes (research & evaluation) - consultative (information sharing)
  • academic institutes (research & evaluation) - cooperative (direct involvement)

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

N/A

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

The N.E.T. program has evolved for a period of time; the 2014 model of service that fully incorporates the root cause analysis component is new.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

Crime and disorder within neighbourhoods targeted by N.E.T. have shown significant improvement. The return on investment (reduced crime), along with a newfound ownership of crime prevention by residents, are invaluable. The N.E.T. program is resourced fully by all partners, resulting in increased efficiency and effectiveness.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

N.E.T. teams are fully resourced by four equal partners providing the following staff: police officer, community capacity builder and community youth liaison. Partners are now covering the initial concept assessment for the root cause analysis tool created by senior analysts. The cost of a N.E.T. team is approximately $250,000.

Method of Implementation:

The N.E.T. program grew out of a group of people who live, work and play in a community. These people came together and, through simple collaboration and communication, made a difference in the public perception of safety. This group shared their learning with the Edmonton Police Service and a multidisciplinary, community policing team was created. One N.E.T. team in North Edmonton grew to five teams city-wide as positive results were witnessed. The new advanced analytical approach is easily phased in to existing teams.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

Expected outcomes around reduced crime and disorder were realized. There is a continual evolution in the way N.E.T. is delivered. Community-specific issues and readiness dictate the type of programming delivered. N.E.T. teams listen to the community, utilize police data to focus efforts and use a SARA (scanning, analysis, response, assessment) model of service delivery. A strong component of skill-transference to the community has been added in order to sustain efforts.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

  • N.E.T. is a partnership involving City of Edmonton Community Services, Edmonton Police Service, The Family Centre, and United Way of the Alberta Capital Region.
  • Teams work with residents, businesses and organizations, building sustainable solutions to crime and disorder.
  • A typical N.E.T. team is made up of a City of Edmonton community capacity builder, an Edmonton Police Service constable and a youth liaison from The Family Centre, offering a diverse mix of social, policing and youth services to the community.
  • Currently, N.E.T. teams are deployed in five Edmonton neighbourhoods with a deployment of two to four years.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

  • quantitative
  • qualitative

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

Yes

Summary of the Outcomes:

Key recommendations include updating the communications plan, the establishment and use of consistent qualitative and quantitative metrics among all partner groups and the establishment of a N.E.T. transitional team to be used after N.E.T. leaves a community.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

  • The Edmonton Police Service monitors progress of N.E.T. teams through quarterly reporting to the Annual Policing Plan.
  • Statistical evidence around hot spot management is recorded according to predetermined focus areas having to do with a person, public place or private space. Statistical evidence around crime is also assessed (looking for decreases in eight crime indicators).
  • Partner organizations with N.E.T. highlight the community story and focus on increased ownership and participation of residents to create long-term change.
  • Statistical evidence around hot spot management is recorded according to predetermined focus areas having to do with a person, public place or private space. Statistical evidence around crime is also assessed (looking for decreases in eight crime indicators).

Economics of Policing Pillars:

Further Details:

N/A

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

N/A

Record Entry Date:

2015-03-01

Date modified: