New effort aims to reduce crime at Duluth rental properties

DULUTH - Police and landlords are making an effort to reduce crime at rental properties.

Landlords, property managers and concerned citizens came together Thursday to learn how to keep their neighborhoods and rental properties safe.  "Duluth needs this because we have this type of behavior and these types of calls that happen," said West Duluth Community Policing Officer Shawn McGovern.

Officer McGovern helped bring the Crime Free Multi Housing Training Program to Duluth.  Thursday was the 1st day of training for the 3 phase international program designed to reduce crime, drugs and gangs on rental properties.  "We just try to help the tenants and the landlords to come up with a program that helps them to reduce the police calls and helps correct that bad behavior," said Officer McGovern.

The program is a partnership between police, landlords, property managers and residents to create a safe, crime free rental housing community.  "It’s tremendously beneficial to the community, it's beneficial to landlords and it's beneficial to the police department," said Officer McGovern.  "It’s a tool to help us," said Kristy Kachinske, West Duluth property manager.  Kachinske has dealt with her share of criminal activity on her properties.  "We’ve had a few run ins with law enforcement," said Kachinske.  "Applewood West is where the stabbing was just recently, we dealt with that."

"We want to make sure that the bad guys stay our of our neighborhood and we want them to know we are looking," said Wayne Purser, Morgan Park Citizen Patrol.  "Working with the police and working with the tenants, we can bring about resolve," said Officer McGovern.

More training sessions for the Crime Free Multi Housing Program are set for Thursday March 11th and Thursday March 18th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Officer McGovern says it will be an ongoing program with training sessions every month.  For more information contact Jacob Wagner of Neighborhood Housing Services at (218) 727–8604 ext. 15.