When
it comes to providing and maintaining a safe environment for a community, the
buck stops with the governing leaders.
I
believe it's our job, my job as mayor, to make safety for local families and
businesses the highest priority.
In
Provo, I believe we are doing a good job. Provo City is nationally known as a
safe place to live and to raise a family.
The
Provo police and fire departments respond quickly and efficiently to hundreds
of calls every week.
Our
police and fire and rescue personnel strive to be the most effectively trained in
the county, state and region. The fire department has recently been praised for
handling several major fires well.
This
past year there's been a dramatic 13 percent reduction in crime and a reduction
in gang activity. That's good news.
To
keep the good work going, we've aligned ourselves with the national Volunteers
in Police Service (VIPS) program. That puts more eyes and ears out there on the
watch.
We're
reaching out, stopping crime, involving our citizenry and inviting input.
We're
safeguarding personal liberty. We're working together.
All
in all, I believe we're on a very safe path.
