Accomplishments in 2007

 Grants to law enforcement totaling $200,000 helped special operations — warrant squad, interdiction squad, saturation patrols, search warrants, drug hot line, stakeout details, drug raids, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigations.

Special operations search warrants executed:  21

Cash seized in Operation Our Town-supported efforts: $22,218

“I really think the aggressive drug law enforcement, which has been impacted by Operation Our Town funds, is a major reason why crime is down countywide.”  — Chief Ron Heller, Logan Township Police Department, president of Blair County Drug Task Force Board of Chiefs

Blair County drug raids:  9

Amounts of drugs seized:

Marijuana:                  3,876.5 grams
Hallucinogens:                 15   grams
Heroin:                          58.7 grams
Other narcotics:            430   dosage units
Cocaine:                        39.5 grams
Crack cocaine:              216    grams
Designer drugs:              77    dosage units

Value of drugs seized: $62,621

Blair County drug arrests

Adult:
            2006 – 465
            2007 – 576
            24 percent increase

Juvenile:
            2006 – 14
            2007 – 31
            121 percent increase

 Saturation patrols:

• Six in Altoona, Hollidaysburg, Tyrone Borough, Duncansville and Allegheny, Blair and Frankstown townships.
• Resulted in hundreds of additional police officers and agents patrolling the streets of Blair County.
• Pennsylvania State Police assisted with manpower and helicopter.
• 22 arrests: one robbery suspect, one gun suspect, one male fugitive from New Jersey for aggravated assault on a police officer, and numerous drug violations, including out-of-town drug dealers.

“We’re able to saturate an area where we see crime trends and take care of the problems. Our [directed patrol] officers are having contact with anyone they meet in the area. Citizens are calling us and the drug hot line. We follow up on the information, and we make arrests.”

—Altoona Police Chief Janice Freehling

Operation Our Town initiated a Most Wanted List May 23, 2007:

• 17 listed
• 11 captured
• 65 percent capture rate

“Our citizens are calling us more than they have in the past.  Our crime watch is pretty active.  These factors have helped us cut our crime rate.”  —Blair Township Chief Randall Lingenfelter

Crime rates are declining

Altoona, the county’s largest community, saw its crime rate drop 3.46 percent in 2007, according to the state’s Uniform Crime Report. The percentage drop translates to 164 fewer crimes.

Crime rates also dropped in Bellwood; Allegheny, Blair and Greenfield townships; Penn State Altoona, and areas covered by troopers at Hollidaysburg.

Allegheny Township had 367 crimes in 2007, down from 467 the year before.

“I think the proactive patrols of our officers here have helped. We are visible in the public, and the public also helps us by reporting what they see.”  —Chief P. Richard Books, Allegheny Township Police

Drug deaths are dropping

The Blair County Coroner’s Office reports a 64 percent decrease in deaths resulting from heroin and cocaine from 2005 through 2007. Overall accidental drug overdoses dropped 67 percent from 2006 to 2007

“I have no doubt that the decrease in deaths from the street drugs has been directly related to the increase in law enforcement activities funded by Operation Our Town, as well as local municipalities and the Attorney General’s Office.”   -Blair County Coroner Patty Ross

Drug Task Force arrests are up

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Drug Task Force in Blair County reports arresting 302 people from Operation Our Town inception (March 1 to Dec. 31, 2007) as compared to 265 arrests for all of 2006.

Crack cocaine seizures increased 126 percent from 2006 to 2007.

Search warrant operations increased approximately 75 percent from 2006.

Drug prosecutor having success

Blair County District Attorney Richard Consiglio hired Attorney Peter Weeks as the drug prosecutor in July 2007.

OOT three-year grant totaling $135,000

• Represented the commonwealth in over 352 preliminary hearings.
• Has been assigned over 220 case files, which encompass 120 individual defendants.
• Filed at least four petitions for bail forfeitures.
• Over 70 asset forfeiture petitions have been filed since the inception of the drug prosecutor position.
• Is the first assistant district attorney to attend Top Gun, an intensive week-long narcotics training geared to all aspects of law enforcement departments.

Other funding

$35,000 grant awarded for audiovisual equipment, tactical life vests and helmets.

$15,000 grant awarded for the purchase of a police dog to combat drug activity in Tyrone Borough and throughout Blair County through the Blair County Drug Task Force.

$10,000 to match $100,000 in federal funding for SWOOP (Street Wise Outreach Opportunity Program). Total clients: 1,150

$8,000 to fund the R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out to Community Kids) after-school program for children in kindergarten through 12th grade at 2nd Ave. United Methodist Church in Altoona. Provides hot meal, structured game time, physical recreation period, art time, instruction focused on positive life choices.

September 2007
Operation Our Town Update

Much has happened in the fight against illegal drugs and gangs in Central Pennsylvania since the formation of Operation Our Town.

Dozens of the largest businesses in our region have pledged significant funding to support our efforts. Many more local citizens and community groups have pledged additional financial support, with commitments now exceeding $1 million over the next three years. We are working with federal officials for additional funding.  

Nearly 300 volunteers are working on Operation Our Town Round Tables, which include:

Housing, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Media/PR,

Faith-Based Initiatives, Volunteers, Gangs, Pharmacy, Hotel/Restaurant, Retail, Government, Law Enforcement, Criminal/Judiciary, Health, Human Services, Blight.

Our Volunteer Round Table’s goal is to exceed 1,000 volunteers within the year to support proven law enforcement, treatment, and prevention programs in our community. This large and growing group is particularly bolstered and encouraged by the visible support of community leaders like yourselves.

Operation Our Town has committed $175,000 to support a variety of initiatives for our Law Enforcement Round Table. We’ve provided funding to support Family Services’ Project Swoop, a program of direct intervention on the streets. Our annual funding will enable a federal match of $100,000 per year for this excellent program.

We are reviewing some $500,000 worth of initiatives to support education, gang eradication, law enforcement, and human services programs proven to make our community more resistant to drugs and gangs.

Thank you for your efforts,

The Operation Our Town Board of Directors:
Philip Devorris
Michael Fiore
Ron McConnell
Joe Sheetz