Guidelines Strengthen the City’s Crime Initiative in Apartments

To strengthen the city’s initiative to decrease Irving’s overall crime rate, City Council members have approved an apartment crime reduction ordinance. The new guidelines will mandate that apartment complexes with the highest crime rates participate in a crime reduction program.

Statistics show that a majority of the city’s crime exists in apartment complexes, which include:

• 62 percent of robbery of individuals
• 48 percent of auto thefts
• 41 percent of aggravated assaults

“Irving lowered its overall crime rate to the lowest level in recorded history for the second consecutive year in 2009,” said Police Chief Larry Boyd. “By implementing this ordinance, we hope to see an even greater decrease in crime over time, as experienced in other cities that have implemented similar programs.”

Per the ordinance, participating apartments will have to adhere to new lighting, landscaping and fencing regulations, as well as participate in crime watch meetings and crime prevention training. Department of Public Safety background checks for tenants also will be required. 
 
Implementation and enforcement of the ordinance will be effective January 2010. Once notified, apartment communities designated to participate in the crime reduction program will have 30 days to pay a nonrefundable $250 program fee.