2023 Safety Strategy

The Main Street Morgantown Board of Directors adopted the Safety Strategy & Implementation Plan on February 15, 2023.  The goal of the plan is to:

• Reduce behavior that infringes on the safety and wellbeing of all
• Support a welcoming downtown environment
• Collaborate to dismantle root causes leading to loitering, unsafe drug use, crime, and assault

The plan is a collaborative framework for advancing safety concerns within the strategic areas of:

1. 1. Public Safety
   2. Health & Sanitation
   3. Property Safety & Security
   4. Contribute to solving root causes negatively impacting downtown safety

• Download Safety Strategy & Implementation Plan

Initiatives

Main Street Morgantown facilitates focus and accountability with and among our partners. Below are advancements since our collaborative initiative began:

• Increased engagement from City, County, and WVU as Safety Strategy advances
• Newly formed Safety Committees by City, WVU, and MSM and increased coordination with one another
• Increased communication, responsive and tightened coordination between City Departments: (Morgantown Police Department, Public Works, Code Enforcement, City Ambassadors)

Public Safety

• Downtown “directed patrol” assignments by Morgantown Police Department, inclusive of Wharf and Trails (as of 3/4/23)
  • In Q4, an increase in staffing has allowed MPD to sustain downtown directed patrol program, increasing responsiveness and enforcement.
• Increased partnership between MPD, Campus Police, and MECCA to address coverage during staff shortage
• Hiring of Police Social Worker to MPD (as of 7/23)
• De-escalation specialists responding via Police and Peers collaboration (as of 6/23)
• Addition of MPD bike trail patrol
• Installation of at least half of the 70+ public safety cameras planned district-wide
• Safety Index to measure and assess safety under development

Health & Sanitation

• Program development in health and sanitation, including Walnut Street Trash Services Pilot
• Coordination of monthly volunteer litter pickups (as of 4/23)
• Collaboration with City Ambassadors, MSM, and WVU Civic Engagement to address litter during high-traffic times (parades, game days, downtown events)
• Increased focus and coordination from the city regarding litter control, pest control, and power washing
• Morgantown 311 app to report non-emergency issues

Property Safety & Security

• Increased focus, coordination, and follow through from the city regarding code enforcement
• Quarterly updates to Landlords’ Association
• Informational resources under development to assist property owners. View Resource Handbook (pdf).

Contribute to Solving Root Causes

• Research and be engaged in stakeholder problem solving

• View Board Roster