Stunning Reductions in Gun Violence in PNI Study Areas
A strategy TPD implemented in three chronically violent neighborhoods reduced gun violence between 75% and 80% in each!
Tucson is one of six jurisdictions nationally to implement PNI, or Place Network Investigations, as part of a National Policing Institute Study. PNI targets street gun violence by disrupting the infrastructure that supports it.
TPD selected three hotspots for this approach, each encompassing roughly 500 meters in any direction from the center points listed below.
|
Center Point
|
TPD Division
|
Percent Reduction in Gun Violence
|
|
6200 S. Campbell Ave.
|
Operations Division South
|
80%
|
|
Grant & Alvernon
|
Operations Division Midtown
|
75%
|
|
22nd & Prudence
|
Operations Division East
|
77%
|
PNI takes a holistic approach, looking at property management practices and available community resources as well as targeting criminal networks. A multi-department, multi-agency PNI Board was created that includes business, school, nonprofit, and community members to address underlying conditions conducive to crime. Many projects were undertaken, ranging from improving Parks facilities to using Code Enforcement to address health and safety violations at several apartment complexes.
TPD's enforcement efforts gathered intelligence on criminal networks operating in these areas, often linked to narcotics. One PNI investigation into a supply house seized approximately 8 pounds of meth, 53,000 fentanyl pills, over 1,000 counterfeit Xanax pills, a half pound of heroin, $65,000 in cash, and 15 firearms, including 3 shotguns and an AK-47.
Property management also plays a huge role in contributing to community safety—or its opposite. During the study, analysis revealed that multiple properties owned by the same person—which comprise just 0.58% of the City of Tucson by landmass—were the location of 7.8% of shootings and 4.5% of gun-related calls for service citywide. Several City departments are engaged with this owner in an effort to have him improve conditions at his properties.
The tremendous amount of effort that has gone into implementing PNI has yielded great results, including increased collaboration that's having a real, positive impact on quality of life in these areas.
ODW Highlights
Neighborhood Crimes
On August 2nd, Operations Division West Neighborhood Crimes Section investigated an incident involving an armed male making threats with a firearm. The subject had barricaded himself in his 4th story apartment and continued to make threats to harm himself and community members. After several hours of negotiations, and with the assistance of SWAT, the armed subject was taken into custody.
Detectives from ODW NCS continued the investigation and executed a search warrant, recovering firearms. The subject in this case was charged and booked into Pima County Jail. The efforts of TPD ODW and SWAT members resulted in a peaceful resolution to this dangerous event.
Proactive Hot Spot Policing
Officers from Operations Division West have been engaged in proactive special deployments throughout the division. In addition to responding to calls for service, officers have made over 35 proactive business contacts since August 1st to address concerns, as well as engaging in proactive enforcement in hotspot (high concentration of crime) corridors.
ODW Statistics
Activity
|
Type19,706
|
2023 Division Year to Date
|
2023 Department Year to Date
|
|
Calls for Service
|
35,812
|
125,039
|
|
Officer-initiated Activity
|
19,706
|
64,238
|
|
Gun-related Crime
|
302
|
1,269
|
|
Homicide
|
15
|
43
|
|
Traffic Citations
|
7,760
|
26,968
|
|
