The City of Alton could have a community oriented policing services (COPS) program as early as this spring. (Photo courtesy of Alton Police Dept.)

Metro East population losses continue

Metro East — and the St. Louis region as a whole — continue to lose population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

However, Monroe County, remains a bright spot with a population now estimated at 34,068 — up 1,111 from the 32,957 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010.

Virtually every other county in Metro East lost population last year, according to 2016 estimates released by the Census Bureau March 23.

Madison County is now Metro East’s most populous county with 269,328 residents. However, that is down 3,569 from its 2010 population of 265,759.

St. Clair County, formerly Metro East’s largest, now has an estimated population of 262,759; having lost 7,304 residents since the beginning of this decade when the Census Bureau placed the county’s population at 270,063.

In the outlying areas of Metro-East, Clinton County is more-or-less holding steady with a population of 37,729 — down just 33 from the 37,762 recorded in the 2010 census count.

Bond County has lost 944 residents so far over the course of this decade, with its population down to 16,824 from 17,768.

With a current estimated population of 22,025, Jersey County has lost 960 of the 22, 985 documented in the 2010 census.

Macoupin County has lost 1,857 residents over the course of this decade, with its population declining from 47,765 to 45,908.

Calhoun County lost 195 people over the same period; decreasing in population from 5,089 to 4,894.

Across the Mississippi River, the City of St. Louis is ranked eighth in the nation on the Census Bureau’s 2017 list of Top 10 Largest-Declining Counties or County Equivalents.

St. Louis, a rare city not within a county, has lost 7,977 residents the course of this decade, with its total population declining from 319,381 to 311,404 since 2010.  The city lost some 3,471 people or 1.1 percent of its population just over the period from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2016.

Cook County, home to Chicago, suffered the greatest population loss in the nation last year; losing an estimated 21,300 people in 2016.

Alton prepares community policing plan

The City of Alton could have a community oriented policing services (COPS) program as early as this spring.

The Alton Community Relations Commission, established to reduce tensions between Alton residents and law enforcement agencies, last month began formulating its 2017 Strategic Plan for Community Policing, based on priorities established through surveys of community members and Alton Police Department personnel.

Program priorities were established in January by panels of community leaders and law enforcement officers, convened to review the survey responses.

Survey results and program priorities were formally announced during a March 20 public meeting on the initiative.

Top priorities established for the program by community leaders include: education/awareness, police department diversity and positive interactions between the police and community.

Established by police officials as top priorities: communication/internal morale, accountability/job descriptions, performance evaluation and talent management.

Specific objectives and concerns cited by community leaders include: increased communication with youth; increased use of social media; increased public awareness and participation in community organizations; law enforcement community awareness; public education on police policy; police procedures and work environment issues — especially those related to the use of force; as well as policing strategies and community participation habits.

Community leader are also calling for greater racial diversity within the Alton Police Department; urging the department to reinstitute its cadet program for youths, increase the scope of recruiting activities with a focusing on minority recruiting, facilitate changes in the city hiring process, and help increase the availability of scholarships for African-Americans who may wish to pursue law enforcement as a career.

Law officers are specifically recommending the department: develop a comprehensive internal communication strategy, establish job descriptions; improve call-for-service coding for tracking and evaluation; performance evaluations for officers as well as supervisors and commander leadership; six month “climate” surveys to assess morale; annual citizen surveys to assess satisfaction; develop a recruiting plan and change the hiring process; establish a retention strategy; engage and motivate officers; improve field training programs; and restructure the allocation of personnel.

Residents and police officers responding to the survey gave the state of police-community relations in Alton an overall rating of 2.67 on a scale of four.

The Alton Community Relations Commission hopes to implement at least some components of the community policing program as early as this month, with another round in May and the program fully implemented in June.

St. Clair County at risk for Ziska, journal reports

St. Clair County is at high for Zika virus infections, according to an article posted last week in the online edition of the American Journal of Public Health.

The county has a large population of the mosquito known to carry Zika, high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pockets of segregated poverty — all considered risk factors for the virus, researchers at St. Louis University note.

Potentially fatal, Zika, may produce flu-like symptoms but can be asymptomatic in up to 80 percent of those infected.  The disease often causes profound birth defects, including brain damage and skull malformation.

While generally considered a mosquito-borne virus, Zika can be spread through unprotected sex.

St. Clair is among 507 counties determined to be a high risk for Zika; following a study 3,100 counties nationwide.

Alton Square renovation planned

Plans for a major renovation of the Alton Square Mall, released last week by the Atlanta-based Hull Property Group, call for demolition of the former Macy’s building and a new movie theatre in the space former occupied by Sears.  

Existing retail tenants in the two-story mall would be consolidated on the first floor, with the upper level renovated for three-five new “junior anchor” stores, according to the company. The plan also calls for freestanding retail stores in the parking lot and possibly freestanding restaurants. Substantial public and private investments would be required, the mall-owner says.

–Metro-East Area News Briefs–