- Waikiki Safety Ambassador Team “Amp Up Security [And] De-escalate Situations, Actually Reduce The Amount Of Calls To The Police Department.” For KHON, Nathan Shinagawa reports on the new safety ambassador team patrolling downtown Waikiki, that local leaders are saying has already “been a success.” The team launched earlier this year and are already providing a “24/7 security presence, decked in neon green outfits, body cams, and trained in advanced first aid, de-escalation, and handling mental health issues.” The team patrol the streets “of the Waikiki strip, with responsibilities such as checking in with store owners, directing guests, cleaning up loose trash, enforcing rules, and ready to assist in emergency situations if need be.” Dave Willard, the Vice President of Waikiki’s downtown business district, explained that the team has made a real difference for residents and visitors and has helped to free up police so they can focus on serious crime: “They’re able to de-escalate situations and actually reduce the amount of calls that normally go to the police department. The team is able to respond to these often before it even escalates into something that would disrupt and end up in a police call.”
- In Georgia, Decatur “Renews Downtown Ambassador Program… To Address Safety, Cleanliness, And Visitor Services.” For Decaturish, Zoe Seiler reports on city leaders voting to extend the downtown safety ambassador program following an effective first year in operation. The team is separated into two core functions—maintaining public safety and maintaining public cleanliness and order. Safety ambassadors patrol the streets performing “walking and bicycle patrols” to be eyes on the ground for residents, visitors and business owners in the region, and homeless outreach, connecting them to services and programs, as well as “after-hours escorts” for people returning to their cars, homes, or hotels. The ambassadors, who focus on keeping things clean and orderly, perform “litter and debris removal, “clean sidewalks and tree wells, [and engage in] graffiti removal.”
- In Ohio, Cleveland Officials Expand Safety Ambassador Program “To Strengthen The City’s Business District.” For WKYC, Dave DeNatale reports on the expansion of the city’s uniformed ambassadors, who “provide safety patrols, cleaning services and assistance to visitors,” giving them a fuller presence downtown to increase safety and cleanliness. Mayor Justin Bibb, a champion of the ambassador team, explained to the news station that “Cleveland is at its best when our downtown is thriving, and this reauthorization of the improvement district will only accelerate that progress… [making a] downtown that’s more welcoming, more vibrant and a place where people and businesses want to invest their time and money.”