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<p>HAZLETON &#8212; City officials Monday took a step toward preventing crime by altering the landscape.</p><p>&#8220;In the interest of public safety and the quality of life for the citizens of Hazleton, the Streets Department is removing the table and benches today and trimming the trees so lighting will properly shine on the area&#8221; of a small park at Vine and Mine streets, Police Chief Jerry Speziale announced in a news release.</p><p>Speziale explained that throughout the year, officers have spent &#8220;countless hours throughout the day and evening moving and citing drunk and disorderly individuals in the area.&#8221;</p><p>The chief said that drains departmental resources, and the nuisance crimes committed there have become a quality-of-life issue.</p><p>&#8220;Large amounts of trash are left lying around, which is unacceptable. Although we constantly enforce the ordinance with citations, we also clean up (the trash) prior to moving (offenders) from the location. There are always numerous liquor containers and other trash,&#8221; Speziale said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s also becoming a public health concern because offenders leave behind clothing and other items,&#8221; he noted, adding that bushes at a nearby daycare center fence have &#8220;a tremendous odor of urine.&#8221;</p><p>The fire department was to wash down the area and the police department will focus on strict enforcement efforts in that spot.</p><p>The chief described the measures as &#8220;crime prevention through environmental design&#8221; &#8212; known as CPTED &#8212; and called them &#8220;a great deterrent to quality-of-life issues faced by a community.&#8221; He said the actions were taken after he made the recommendation to the mayor, Community Development director, Code Enforcement director, fire chief and Streets Department director.</p><p>&#8220;I firmly believe these changes will stop loitering and eliminate this quality-of-life issue,&#8221; Speziale said.</p><p>The chief didn&#8217;t know what would become of the benches and tables &#8212; whether they would be sold, donated, destroyed or installed at a different location.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Streets Department workers trim trees and shrubbery Monday to allow more light into a park at Vine and Mine streets as a form of &#8220;crime prevention through environmental design&#8221; suggested by city Police Chief Jerry Speziale. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/web1_CPTED-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hazleton Streets Department workers trim trees and shrubbery Monday to allow more light into a park at Vine and Mine streets as a form of &#8220;crime prevention through environmental design&#8221; suggested by city Police Chief Jerry Speziale. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Steve Mocarsky</p><p>smocarsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Steve Mocarsky at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @TLSteveMocarsky.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton aims to prevent crime by changing landscape