8 PUBLIC SAFETY
2030 Vision Statement
Newport News is one of the safest cities of its size in the United States. Its citizens have excellent communication and rapport with police who operate from local precincts. The police officers who patrol neighborhoods are known personally by the citizens whom they serve. The City is free of illegal drugs. Streets are safe at night. Burglary, car theft and other property crimes are negligible due to crime watch programs in every neighborhood. The City’s crime rate continues to fall.
The City’s Fire Department has modern fire stations and equipment in all areas of the city and emergency response is among the best in the United States. The City actively supports a regional fire training center and academy.
The City has aggressive and proactive code enforcement. Properties and buildings in neighborhoods are kept neat, clean and safe.
Emergency Management maintains a modern Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and updated Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) to ensure the City has the ability to effectively prepare, respond to and recover from all types of emergencies and disasters, whether man-made or natural.