Iowa City Assaults Forum - Liveblog

Iowa City Assaults Forum - Liveblog

County Attorney Janet Lyness: Over 30 assaults in last year in downtown area, causing great deal of fear and concern. We've been working behind scenes but want input too.

We want to tell you what we're doing, increase public dialogue, tell citizens how to help. We're not here to blame victims, city, or law enforcement.

Police Chief Sam Hargadine: Assaults started August 2006. Sometimes close together, sometimes 40 days apart. We saw things in common. Early on UI police had suspects, but that didn't clear up city cases. We hoped when students left for spring it would stop, but assaults continued through the summer. So we needed to get the word out, updated records, got things out to media, and did all we could to get word out. Assaults still continued. No one has turned us down when we asked for help. It will remain a priority. "Don't you guys spend too much time working on PAULA arrests?" That's inaccurate, we do have to staff downtown but "our primary focus is the overall safety of everyone down there."

UI police head Charles Green: UI did surveillance in an area and caught one man responsible for 3 attacks, he's incarcerated. Yet it continues. "We worried from the beginning about copycats, and that's what we're seeing." We're launching Night Ride program this weekend. Running 11 PM to 3 AM weekends to "any residence or apartment" within a defined area (basically midtown) to any woman (not just UI students). "We're not seeing a lot of reporting when there is suspicious behavior" said Green, encouraging more.

Amy Correia, Iowa City council: City and Council takes this seriously. Iowa City funds DVIP and RVAP and this helps bring increased services. In FY07 city funded two more police officers. FY09 budget process is beginning and council needs to hear from public. We get briefed by police chief, and I'm supportive of how they're handling this. Crime Stoppers tip line started in cooperation with other law enforcement. Students petitioned council: "We were pleased to see the type of support from students." In last year we've begun considering late night bus service, and working with UI and Night Ride program. City also assessing its lighting policy in the next month. City Planning department is doing a neighborhood lighting study. We'll be talking with police dept on a Neighborhood Watch program.

UI student government VP Carole Peterson. UISG held safety forum for women, and made a "safety grant" program which any campus organization can apply for. Student petition got 5000 signatures and a warm welcome from the city council.

Lyness starts with audience questions. Will city improve lights and night rides? Correia: Need to work with public works on lighting options. There have already been talks with transit staff for partnering or extending UI Night Ride program. We can use transit funds for that.

What should people do if they see an attack or suspicious behavior? Hargadine: In almost all cases, if there's been any sign of resistance from victim, or any bystander, attack has ended. Also emphasizes importance of accurate descriptions and quick notice. "After the fact there's not a whole lot we can do, we're just there to file a report, and that's frustrating."

Hargadine notes law enforcement cooperation on sharing resources. Correia emphasized RVAP, DVIP, and she's been contacted by someone wanting to start a citizen neighborhood patrol. Go to the experts who deal with this every day to see how you can get involved.

Green: Make sure your cell phone is in a quick accessible spot. And even yelling "stop" i you see someone can make them run off. "Make a group of friends that you go out with, and promise you won't leave each other alone." See if local parents can help with night rides.

Peterson: Would like to see a task force of everyone who can have an influence on this. Lyness: university has Anti-Violence Coalition, meets regularly on these issues. I meet with law enforcement monthly.

Questions about Night Ride: why didn't past efforts work. Peterson: UI Safe Walk program ended because it was under-used. It's also hard to know who was walking you home (no background checks). By doing this thru UI police people feel safer. Green: UI police will be driving.

How is word getting out in downtown? Green: We'll take any volunteers. There have been offers to get the info out.

What if someone who's underage or drinking wants to report? Green :"This is not a Drunk Bus. One person trowing up in that van ends it for everyone." That doesn't mean we'll be testing or anything, but we reserve the right. "If people are so intoxicated to that point, you have to wonder of they're concerned about their personal safety." Hargadine: Alcohol has been involved in most cases but we've never charged victims. Lyness: We have long standing policy of not charging victims, even if drinking underage. Green: Our hands are ted because we don't have anything we can do with severe intox except arrest.

Will only one pickup point be a problem? Green: resources limited, we have one driver.

Role of men's responsibility? Peterson: Men need to be part of study. Part of $1 million grant does go to men as allies issues. "It's always important not to minimize it, make it less than it is." Call other men out on degrading disrespectful comments. Correia: Last year in Violence Against Women month (Oct.), an effort to get prominent men in community to do PSAs. Hargadine: "One reason this community is at such an outrage, Iowa City hasn't had to deal with this kind of repetitive crime. It's a matter of how we treat all people, men and women, gay and straight." Green: Greek system is a good way to get men involved, buddy up, keep each other safe.

More strategies? Correia: "Creating a climate where it's not OK to degrade or demean women in any way, it's not OK to violate someone else." How about mandatory class on consensual sex, targeting men? Peterson: there is some training, cites RA training.

Ethical standard of "sting" operations. Hargadine: Where we've used decoys we used female officers from IC and other jurisdictions. "Some have been hit on, some have been as;ed 'don't you know there's a problem,' but no one has been attacked."

Neighborhood association involvement? Correia: There's been some requests from associations for more info. City does offer neighborhood grants.

Have victims been received in a supportive manner: Green and Hargadine, yes.

Where can I buy pepper spray? Hargadine: "You do not need a permit to carry mace." Pretty much any sporting goods store. Green "Defending yourself is as much mental as physical." UI offers a class, much of it is mental prep. Make sure you have practiced with a device, often even with cops, they get hit as well.

Hargadine: "It's not somebody who just stopped in town, it's somebody who's been in our community for a year." At least four perpetrators, one responsible for "many of them." Green: Get the word out that this is not "fun," it is a sexual assault.

How will intoxication level be determined for Safe Ride people. Green: no breath tests, if people can navigate and talk, they'll get a ride.

What are police doing to ACTIVELY protect women. Green: Safety is a shared responsibility. If people choose not to take advice, they increase risk. "Insure means guarantee, and there's no way we can GUARANTEE a person's safety." We'll do all we can. Hargadine: We've released some information in the past to protect department's integrity. "Are we gonna do it this weekend? I'm not gonna tell ya." We've diverted officers from other crimes. "It's taken up a lot of my time, it's what we've been working around the last year." Since people started looking out for each other, that's curtailed it quite a bit. No attack in a couple weeks. Green: we need to watch out something else doesn't become vulnerable.

#1 thing people can do to help? Hargadine: "Always be aware of your surroundings." Green: "and report." Correia: be aware of community attitudes, of how you could help support programs like RVAP. Send message that Iowa City won't tolerate this. Lyness: Look out for each other, call 911 even if it just looks suspicious, give locations and any description.