Retiring Police Chief Dennis Nowicki, one of our own, reviewed the fruits of his five years heading the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and talked about some of the challenges that lie ahead.
     But before he could speak, City Manager Pam Syfert, also a member, sang Nowicki's praises in his introduction. She said they were looking for someone to "bring together" the Charlotte and Mecklenburg County police departments, which had just been merged, and someone to implement community policing, which had just been introduced.
     "He's been a leader in those two tasks," Syfert noted, but he has also been a leader in the use of technology in policing and in the development of partnerships between the police and neighborhoods, business and individuals.  In just five years, she said, the Charlotte police department has become recognized as a national leader in developing community partnerships and an international leader in the use of technology in policing.
     On April 15, there will be bad and good news as far as we are concerned, she said.  The bad news is that Dennis is leaving the department; the good news is that he has chosen to stay a part of our community.    "We're certainly going to miss him" as chief.
     Nowicki said he wanted to a look at where the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is, where it's going and where there may be opportunities for members (of Charlotte Rotary) to get involved.  The over-riding mission of the police department under his leadership is "to prevent the next crime."  That may be a "stretch goal," he said, "but it's a goal worth striving for nonetheless, and it certainly does guide us."
     Other guiding principles he outlined include developing partnerships with the community, resolving community problems, reducing the fear of crime, maintaining order, increasing the quality of life, empowering communities (by reducing their fear of the police) and involving the total police staff in adopting these principles of doing business.
     The chief said his department was "well along the way" to realizing these goals.  "The community and the police have a shared responsibility for problem solving.  There must me open dialogue," he said.   Nowicki called it "partners, problem-solving and prevention," his three Ps.
     The Chicago native said that improved communication is a fact.   Officers have become neighborhood advocates in dealing with the quality of life issues which if not solved lead to crime.  "We're just breaking out of the traditional role of policing, and I must admit I'm a little scared of it myself."  
     There are now 80 neighborhood officers who have accepted their communities as their own and have been accepted by their communities.  These officers are on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day and the "demands on them continue to grow."
     The veteran of 25 years on the Chicago police force said CMPD is totally decentralized into four service areas, each headed by a deputy chief.  In each of those areas there are three divisions, each headed by a captain.  "They are like smaller police departments," the chief noted.
     The Adam Service Area Center building on Wilkinson Blvd. is a model of an efficient service delivery facility, he said.  It was designed not only to house the Adam Service Area's three teams but to offer other city services as well.
     However, the chief said, to speed up the process other service areas moved into existing facilities because the community has realized the value of the police presence.  Some of the facilities are rented for as little as $1 per year.
     One of the biggest challenges for the future, Nowicki pointed out is "to get all officers to believe and live by the mission and to practice partnering, problem-solving and prevention."
     Another challenge will be to continue to introduce new technology, especially computers, into the department.  "We're a decentralized department.  Our lifeline is information."
     Each officer and many civilians in the department have lap top computers and the department is working with University of North Carolina at Charlotte to develop the systems for mobile wireless connection of telephones and computers.  The department has been aided in this effort by federal grants and strong support from the city manager and the City Council, he said.
     One of the programs is KB COPS, knowledge-based community oriented policing system.  Another, FALCON, developed with University of North Carolina at Charlotte, has been copyrighted.  It's a proactive problem alert system whereby officers can input certain expected outcomes or events.  If those happen, the officer is notified so he or she can stay on top of a situation.
     The department also is a leader in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).    The system integrates a great deal of information about a community  "streets, housing, land use, zoning"   into a single system. 
     Nowicki described how an officer in the Grier Heights area used GIS to reduce street robbery.  By studying the lighting pattern of the area's street lights through the computer, the officers was able to determine that most of the robberies occurred in areas where lighting was dimmest.  Working with Duke Energy and the City, the street lighting was improved and street robberies decreased significantly.
     Another challenge is to continue to build community involvement and cooperation with the police.  "We must get citizens to make a long term commitment to improving their neighborhoods," he said, and not just report crimes anonymously. 
     The Emergency 911 call management is another problem.  The police department does not need to send an officer to every call.  The department uses a differential response strategy, attempting to employ officers where most needed.   He cited the theft of a gas grill from a home while a family is away for a holiday.   "We don't need to send an officer to handle that.  It can be handled on the phone."  The department needs to make better use of limited resources, but the chief acknowledged that citizens "like to see our officers.  It makes them feel better."
     Chief Nowicki also urged Rotarians to support programs for kids.   He said the CMPD believes to "Fight Crime Equals Investment in Kids."
     In response to questions, the chief, said he is "opposed to liberalization of gun laws.  I can't imagine why anyone needs a gun so quickly that he can't wait five days for a check. . . . We need to tighten gun laws."
He also acknowledged that he is very comfortable with the police department's citizens review board now in place.  "Unfortunately citizens review boards will not do what most of their advocates want which is to do away with due process for police officers.  The courts and our laws want allow that."
     Before Nowicki's talk, Fire Chief Luther Fincher, at President Ronnie's insistence, announced that he will be president of the International Association of  Fire Chiefs, the fourth Charlotte fire chief to hold the position and the most of any city in the world.
     Chief Nowicki, said everywhere he'd been in his career there was tension between police and fire departments and joked that even at Rotary Luther was trying to horn in on his time.
     Hal Bouton introduced the club's newest member, Judy Diamond, the executive director and CEO of the YWCA of Greater Charlotte. 
     Curt Farmer, in his health and happiness report, continued the saga of the tooth fairy at his home.
       Bob Peterson led the invocation and Ed Ellis led the singing.  Others at the head table included Lamar Thomas, Leroy Mayne, Ron Bryson and John Morley.

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JUDITH  B.  DIAMOND

Joined 1999

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YWCA of the Central Carolinas
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