Over the next two months, Janesville’s downtown Business Improvement District (BID) will begin implementing a special project that aligns with the organization’s mission to support downtown businesses.
The “Lights, Camera, Action” special project will focus on introducing additional walkability and safety measures to the downtown area through a grassroots initiative called “Our Downtown,” new cameras, and better lighting. The goal of this project aims to be most impactful to the community by encouraging more foot traffic to better support downtown businesses and commerce.
BID will be managing a grassroots safety initiative called “Our Downtown” that empowers citizens to have ownership in their downtown and if they “see something, say something” to keep downtown Janesville safe. The community will be able to submit secure and anonymous tips through an interactive app called P3 Tips to the Janesville Police Department and Janesville Area Crime Stoppers through this downloadable app. When the Janesville Police Department receives a tip, officers will be able to access cameras immediately to solve issues in real-time. New signage will also be installed to assist in educating the general public about these new features.
Another important component of the project is the addition of at least thirteen cameras in key opportunity areas. These areas include cameras along the River Walk path, Main Street, and West Milwaukee Street. Video footage will be housed in NDAA-Compliant camera servers accessible by the Janesville Police Department. Any new cameras installed in the future or cameras that already use this server can easily be added to the circuit, ensuring replicability and scalability to this project. In the future, BID will be able to trend reports and resolutions to determine future needs and communication back into the community.
The Janesville Area Crime Stoppers provides the P3 Tips anonymous reporting app to Rock County citizens and law enforcement for free. The community can help prevent and solve crime in the downtown area if citizens “say something” by using the P3 Tips app.
“Janesville Area Crime Stoppers (JACS) is happy to support BID’s efforts to make downtown Janesville a safer place. We encourage Rock County citizens to download the P3 Tips app. We appreciate BID for taking action and getting everyone organized and on the same page to make the downtown area a safe and great place to visit, have fun, and do business.” said Chad Sullivan, Janesville Area Crime Stoppers Board Member and Police Officer of the Town of Milton Police Department.
This project has been in the works for about a year. BID conducted research into the perceptions and realities surrounding downtown safety by conducting surveys at downtown events and businesses, scope walks, and meetings with key stakeholders. Early on, these efforts resulted in additional beautification and clean-up efforts along with added patrols by the Janesville Police Department. From there, areas of focus for better lighting, new cameras, and new signage were determined based on locations that would be most impactful.
Bekki Kennedy, the Chair of BID shared, “The BID board is composed of property and business owners deeply invested in making downtown Janesville a great place to work, shop, live, and play. We envision this project as a way to support collaboration between citizens, property owners, and the Janesville Police Department to all work together for our downtown to be a welcome and safe place.”
The Downtown Janesville BID was established in 2017 to support, revitalize, and grow downtown Janesville businesses. A vibrant downtown is key for a successful city and BID views downtown Janesville as the heart of this community. The organization’s goal is to foster property enhancements, business growth, and support the ongoing development and collaboration of a healthy downtown. BID, along with partners, aspires for downtown Janesville to be the chosen place to live, work, and play. For more information, visit www.downtownjanesville.com.