Criminology professors honored by the Glendale Police Department

Charles M. Katz and Michael D. White, professors in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, have been awarded the Chief’s Community Partnership Award from the Glendale Police Department.

This honor was a result of their demonstrated commitment to the community, as well as the Glendale Police Department, by serving as leaders on the Smart Policing Initiative Program. Glendale’s primary objective and strategy focused on reducing theft and burglaries at local convenience stores and reducing crime at two “hot" apartment complexes, primarily through the work of their Department Neighborhood Response and Downtown squads.  To address convenience store crimes, the Glendale Police Department educated leadership from the Circle K convenience store chain on safer business practices and conducting recurring surveillances stings at hot spot Circle K locations.  They also collaborated with apartment managers to improve management practices, enhance the social and physical environment, and evict problem tenants.

“It is an honor that the Glendale Police Department thought of us.  Most of the credit to the successfully executed project goes to Lt. Frank Balkcom of the Glendale Police Department and Mike White,” says Charles M. Katz, Watts Family director of the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety (CVPCS) and professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

“The award is the culmination of many years of hard work and collaboration between the Glendale Police Department and the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety. These types of working relationships are quite rare, and it was a true honor to be recognized for our efforts,” says Michael D. White, associate director of CVPCS and associate professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.