An increasing awareness of the concerns surrounding the disposal of prescription drugs has spurred a local effort to provide Asheville and Buncombe County residents with a safe place to deposit unwanted medicine. To handle the growing need, the APD has set up its own secure prescription drop box in the department for use by residents looking [...]
Recently reported numbers show that, in 2010, 65 people experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County were placed in, or were in the application process for, permanent housing, reports Amy Sawyer, coordinator of the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative. That, Sawyer says, represents successful progress in advancing the Homeless Initiative and the 10-year Plan to End Homelessness endorsed in [...]
To get to the root of the ideas behind the West Riverside Operation Weed and Seed initiative, now in its fifth year in Asheville, program coordinator Rebecca Byrn says it is all about building relationships. “That’s the foundation of what I do,” Byrn says. “Bringing organizations together, enhancing the relationship the community has with law enforcement [...]
Looking for an easy way to help police or fire and rescue responders get to you in an emergency? Make sure your home or business’ street number is on display and visible from the road. “Anytime first responders, police fire or medical personnel, are responding to calls for service, their response time is reduced when addresses [...]
The latest in a series of steps in the reopening of the pedestrian bridge that spans I-240 and connects the Hillcrest Apartment complex with Asheville’s River District took place Saturday, Feb. 5. City of Asheville police, public works and community relations staff gathered alongside community members to share information about the reopening and gather information [...]
Members of the Asheville Police Department’s Explorer Post 57 traveled to Gatlinburg, TN over the weekend to compete in the annual Winterfest Competition there. The competition focuses on skills and training to accomplish 15 simulated law enforcement scenarios like crime scene investigation and burglary report. The group of eight competing Explorers came home with second [...]
Already this winter, multiple snowstorms have hit Asheville and Western North Carolina, and the City’s Public Works Department has been hard at work to keep roads passable and clear, while the Asheville Police and Fire Departments continue to keep people safe. The City of Asheville is urging the public to remain safe and cautious throughout inclement [...]
***UPDATE*** Jan. 8 meeting POSTPONED: Due to the winter weather forecast for the Asheville area over the next 24 hours and in the interest of safety, the pedestrian bridge community update meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Jan. 8 from 1-3 p.m. has been postponed. Information on the make-up date will be released once a new date is confirmed. The [...]
Asheville Police Department Officer Jackie Stepp’s department-issued cell phone sometimes rings up to four times a day with questions or observations from Asheville residents or business owners. That’s not so surprising since she gives out the number at community meetings and to anyone who asks. As Community Resource Officers, Stepp and her partner, Officer Evan [...]
In a Tuesday evening ceremony, the Asheville Police Department recognized 32 people who completed its Citizens Police Academy. The program, offered twice a year, takes participants through in-depth tours and descriptions of the inner workings of the Asheville Police Department to give them a better understanding of law enforcement and build relationships with APD officers. “The [...]
From a City of Asheville press release: ASHEVILLE – Responding to requests by community members and Asheville City Council, the North Carolina Department of Transportation on Thursday reopened a pedestrian bridge that spans I-240 near the Smoky Park Bridge and Hillcrest Apartments. Asheville City Council voted in August to request the reopening. Though initially planned for mid-January, [...]
In the world of communications, diversity means increased reliability. The city of Asheville uses a number of telecommunication tools to ensure public safety communications are in line with making Asheville the safest city in America when compared to cities of similar size. Information about the city’s public safety delivery systems is highly sensitive due to its [...]