Fuquay-Varina was named the #1 Safest Small City in North Carolina in January 2021 by MoneyGeek, an entity that focuses on finance and technology. Residents can feel a sense of pride at learning of this designation and breathe a little easier knowing our community has earned this ranking.
But what does it mean to be #1? As the name MoneyGeek implies, it’s about money, more specifically, the cost of crime.
Fuquay-Varina’s ranking was part of a larger project in which researchers analyzed standardized crime statistics reported to the FBI and equated the results to the amount of money a town or small city spent during the past year on a per capita basis in all fifty U.S. states. Municipalities with populations of 30,000 to 100,000 were included.
Comparisons were made among cities in the individual states and among the fifty states to produce the results.
The national study also offered insight into what makes a city or town safe, what programs and strategies can help reduce the cost of crime, and what factors influence safety.
Not only do progressive and proactive programs and policies reduce incidents of criminal activity and accidental events, but they also have indirect impact on such things as rates for car insurance, homeowners and renter’s coverage, lost tax revenue due to abandoned and boarded buildings, and costs of services for victims, courts, and correctional programs. Safer roads mean fewer accidents. Ready response from police, fire, and EMS saves lives, and safety measures in schools protect students.
Whew! That’s a lot to digest – safety is multi-faceted and impacts all of us.
Data shows that communities where citizens are part of the solution, have fewer problems, and thus less expended costs to maintain infrastructure and administration.
In Fuquay-Varina, such interaction between our local government leaders and the residents is evident in the activities of the Fuquay-Varina Police Department (FVPD).
Not surprisingly, Susan Weis, Fuquay-Varina Communication Director, is gratified to see all that happens here to enhance the safety of our town.
“Everybody is responsible for public safety. Working together has raised the bar. The police department is extremely open,” says Weis, “with 20,000 followers on Facebook daily. Add to that the many community events – about 300 held in a normal year – where people see them. That makes a big difference.”
Police Lieutenant Chris Gathman of Support Services verifies that many kinds of opportunities are used to bring citizens together.
Lt. Gathman watched as masked officers manned Operation Medicine Drop recently, in front of the police building at Judd Parkway and Old Honeycutt Road. A teen volunteer wearing the McGruff costume waved at passers-by. The big dog’s familiar slogan is, “Take a bite out of crime!”
Coffee-With-A-Cop had been held about every other month. Until it wasn’t! When we see it back on the schedule, we will take it as a sign of normalcy returning. Another event is called Fro-Yo with the Po-Po. That’s frozen yogurt with the police, a tasty means of community outreach.
A popular outreach program, Teen Day began in 2008 and takes place in a city park for kids between the ages of eleven and eighteen with topics including driving and cell phone use. Over the years, turnout has averaged approximately 1,000 kids per event. ‘Police Cadets’ are volunteer helpers, such as the one who was manning McGruff, and have a visible presence at Teen Day. With approximately 15 to 20 youth participating at a typical gathering, teens receive teaching, mentoring and an opportunity to get to know their local police staff, “on good days not just bad days,” according to Lt. Gathman.
The cadets are part of the Fuquay-Varina Public Safety Cadet Program which, according to its application package, adheres to “a strict code of conduct, self-discipline, regular attendance, and an enthusiasm for the program on the part of all members.”
The program’s vision and mission statement include as guiding principles: “Community engagement and support are critical to successfully achieving the mission of public safety organizations.
Engaging young adults through agency sponsors to work collaboratively with citizens and community organizations will help strengthen relationships, build trust and resolve issues for the well-being of the community.”
National Night Out Against Crime is traditionally held the first Tuesday in August and can include a host of events. Citizen’s Police Academy is held in many towns nationwide, including ours, giving the public a chance to learn more about what is involved in police work. RUOK (are you okay?) uses the phone to check daily on those who apply and qualify for the service. Residents can also request residence checks while they are away.
Community events provide a wide variety of interactions with the officials and officers tasked with enhancing the safety of our town. These events are instructive, creative, and fun!
One such creative happening took place at a local ceramics shop during a FVPD’s community outreach event. The owner, Stefanie Hansen, was pleased to host the officers and participating painters for the session dubbed ‘Painting with a Po-Po.’
“Community outreach events like this help humanize the police and breach perceived barriers between police and community,” Stefanie said.
Six officers of different ranks participated, as well as the FVPD chief. People of all ages came out to the event – adults, teens, and children. The officers mingled and talked one-on-one with attendees about police work and talked about some of their programs. Some people came especially to attend the event, but others, customers who just dropped in to paint, were surprised to find the police there and were pleased to join in.
“It was all about folks getting to know their local police in the casual atmosphere of ceramics, coffee and pastries, making them look less imposing. One boy, about age eight, was fascinated that he was able to talk with a police officer,” Stefanie said.
She can identify. As a child she recalls viewing policemen as bigger-than-life. “Events like this strengthen relationships and help people to view the police as ‘normal human beings,’” she said.
Yes, public safety takes public involvement. It takes all of us together to build a thriving community where we want to live and raise our families, work and play, and stay. Fuquay-Varina is on a fast track for growth. As with any expanding community, we are beginning to feel the pains as our infrastructure and resources stretch and wane from the weight of rapid growth. If we redouble our efforts to stay focused on what makes us strong, we will be a better, safer community.
Our community leaders, as evidenced by our FVPD, are here to help us. People feel more at ease asking questions and receiving instructions from officials and officers they have met in person at one or more of the many events held throughout the year to enhance the safety of Fuquay-Varina. Yes, we are growing, but we are still a small town with small town warmth and charm, and for now, the #1 Safest Small City in North Carolina!
