Buffalo's Operation Clean Sweep Program: Data to Decisions (2014 LGAA)

City of Buffalo
County: Erie County
Population: 50,000 +
City Hall: (716) 851-5307

The City of Buffalo recognized the opportunity to leverage Big Data to pinpoint areas of greatest need, to then provide services via an interagency collaborative approach known as "Operation Clean Sweep." Operation Clean Sweep is an initiative designed to improve the quality of life of city residents and to make the best use of scarce resources to eliminate blight and crime.

Operation Clean Sweep brings together city, state and federal partners – in conjunction with health and human service providers – to work in and visit destitute neighborhoods on a weekly basis. Activities include boarding up abandoned structures, removing graffiti and debris, trimming trees, repairing signs and pot holes, and going door-to-door offering governmental, employment and health care services.

Buffalo's 311 Call and Resolution Center provide citizens with access to city services, city information and non-emergency police services. Over 300,000 complaints are taken verbally from residents annually and entered into Buffalo's LAGAN system for quick and efficient case management and resolution. The city draws on the data from the LAGAN database, as well as location data from 911 calls, and its quality of life database, which tracks poverty and unemployment levels as well as other data such as poverty indicators in Census tracts and population density maps to identify its most challenged neighborhoods and prioritize resource deployment to those neighborhoods. By extracting insights derived from these various data resources, the task force can quickly identify neighborhoods most at risk and determine where to conduct operations next. Using cable television, video footage from the Clean Sweeps are broadcasted, creating a live reality TV program that has become one of the most popular programs viewed in the Buffalo area.

To date, the City has been able to demonstrate impressive ROI. In 2012, the force conducted 27 sweeps and 2 "mini sweeps" citywide. Program partners, which include 30-40 departments, volunteered 6,075 manpower hours and addressed issues at approximately 5,400 properties. In 2013, Buffalo set a new record conducting 28 clean sweeps. It has also expanded its Enforcement Mini Sweeps, where groups such as the Buffalo police, state parole officers, county probation officers and the Buffalo Peacemakers Gang Intervention Program target particular high-crime areas.

Since inception, the Division has seen an increase in both Outreach and Beautification teams, economic development, empowerment of residents to work together and feel more connected to local government and pride and care for their community.