CCD Expands Public Safety, Outreach & Crime Prevention Programs

(1) CCD is expanding its team of unarmed, uniformed safety ambassadors known as Community Service Representatives (CSRs), who have provided a friendly, helpful and highly recognizable presence on downtown sidewalks for more than three decades. After raising salaries for CSRs this spring, CCD will increase the number on street from 42 to more than 50 by mid-fall.

CSR foot patrols are equipped with two-way radios and serve as “eyes and ears” on the street for the police. They provide information and directions, administer first aid, request police services and provide outreach to unsheltered individuals. Specially trained CSRs also survey every block in the Center City District monthly, reporting overflowing municipal trash cans, non-functioning street lights, damaged traffic signs, or clogged storm drains. CCD communicates any issues to the responsible agency and follows up to ensure prompt attention.

(2) The bicycle safety patrol launched and funded by CCD is also expanding. Introduced in fall 2020 and augmented in spring 2022 to provide enhanced, mobile, public safety services within the District and support the recovery process, the CCD contracts with Allied Universal for the uniformed, unarmed bicycle safety patrols that are coordinated with both the CSR program and the Philadelphia Police Department.

This month, CCD increased these uniformed bike patrols, which operate seven days per week in two shifts, to more than 45 positions. This means that we have 20 to 25 bike patrol staff on the street each day – 15 on the day shift (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and 10 on the afternoon/night shift (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.).

(3) The Ambassadors of Hope program initiated and funded by CCD since 2018 is expanding from two to three homeless outreach teams. The foot patrols consist of Project HOME outreach workers; a crisis- intervention trained Philadelphia Police Officer from the Central Service Detail, a Community Service Representative Homeless Outreach Team member from CCD, along with a CSR manager with a vehicle available to transport those in need to services and shelter. Currently, the Ambassadors of Hope (AoH) cover the Center City District’s entire footprint, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with daily emphasis on engaging with chronically homeless individuals at recurrent gathering locations.