ASSAULT AGAINST CRIME IN 2007 MAYOR HEARNS ADVANCES EFFORTS ON VARIETY OF FRONTS.

Byline: JIM SKEEN  Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Lancaster will see a major push against crime in 2007 as well as appeals to residents, civic groups and churches to become more involved in community affairs.

Mayor Henry Hearns said crime-fighting efforts in Lancaster will advance on a variety of fronts. More than 20 vacant deputy positions will be filled as the Sheriff's Department ramps up its recruiting efforts. Filling those positions will allow for greater efforts in targeting specific crimes or crime areas and for crime-prevention efforts.

The city will begin to see some results of a study examining ``best practices'' at law enforcement agencies across the country as well as an internal review of the Lancaster station's own operations.

``We will take information from across the country on programs that have been effective and use that in our city,'' Hearns said. ``The study will also help us do what we are already doing better.''

The city also will be making a major push to create, or in some cases re-energize, business and Neighborhood Watch programs.

``We want to get businesses involved in protecting themselves and helping us get done what needs to be done,'' Hearns said. ``If you don't have the people involved, it won't happen.''

And Lancaster will push residents to get more involved with the community, an effort Hearns said he will take a major role in. Hearns said he plans to meet with as many organizations and churches as he can in the coming year to urge them to be more active.

Hearns cites as an example a midnight youth basketball program sponsored by the First Assembly of God as a way for the religious community to help out.

Hearns said he also plans to be involved in an outreach effort with businesses to find out what their concerns are. A city economic master plan calls for a ``mayor's breakfast'' to be held to give business owners an opportunity to personally discuss their issues, and Hearns said he plans to do additional outreach.

Lancaster will see additional restaurants in 2007, including a Chili's at 10th Street West and Avenue K, and two hotels near the baseball stadium, a Hampton Inn and a Homewood Suites, Hearns said.

``As I look at '07, I'm envisioning stuff coming out of the ground,'' Hearns said.

Lancaster will also see the start of construction of a long-sought veterans home at AvenueI and 30th Street West. The $260 million project, being built on land provided by the city, should break ground in mid- or late summer.

james.skeen@dailynews

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