Hilltop Neighborhood Goal One: Preserve Community Policing
Community Policing in Hilltop has been one of the neighborhood's strengths in recent years. Neighborhood and church leaders have worked with the police to track recurring problems, implement preventative solutions, and assist residents who are in substandard housing. Over the years, the cooperative on the east side of the neighborhood has utilized private services to assist with neighborhood security; however, the west side of the neighborhood does not collectively have the resources to hire additional help to supplement city services. Fortunately, the police have been active and involved in the neighborhood and the continuance of that productive relationship is critical to improving conditions in Hilltop.

Recommended Action

1. Establish office hours with police to provide a forum in which anonymous complaints can be made.

2. Continue resident and neighborhood organization cooperation with police.

3. Provide space to the police in the new community center so that it could function as a type of police sub-station or satellite office.

4. Report crime and "things that don't fit."

5. Build better/stronger relationships with officers.

6. Establish and support a neighborhood watch program.

7. Get involved and encourage involvement from neighbors.

8. Organize system of block clubs to monitor conditions and activities.

Partners
City of Wichita, Wichita Police, Neighborhood Block Captains, Hilltop Neighborhood Association

Hilltop Neighborhood Goal Two: Preserve community garden, park, historic resources, and church
The community garden, Friendship Park, and Hilltop Free Evangelical Church were all identified by participants in the planning process as the greatest physical assets of the neighborhood. Identifying resources to support, maintain, and sustain these assets will be an ongoing challenge for neighborhood leaders. Fortunately, recent investment in Friendship Park has resulted in the completion of a new community center and funds have been raised for an addition to the church.

Recommended Action

1. Identify and prioritize opportunities to physically enhance neighborhood assets (improvements for Friendship Park are suggested in chapter 5, Physical Plan).

2. Work with the City to identify and capitalize on grant opportunities for improving facilities.

3. Host events to highlight the church, park and community garden.

4. Consider a small neighborhood "farmers' market" that could offer produce and plants grown in the community garden for sale.

5. Investigate the eligibility of a portion of the Manor area for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

6. Preserve buildings of historic value/character when feasible and safe to do so.

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