Safe and clean public places are a high community priority. In November 2011, the City Council adopted the Safe and Clean Initiative (PDF) to redirect limited City resources and utilize partnerships so that public places remain safe and clean for everyone to enjoy.

The approach to Safe and Clean public places has five core elements that strive to align municipal, private, philanthropy, business and non-profit resources. By mobilizing local entities, sharing data, and involving key stakeholders across sectors we can retain secure public places in our community.

• Redirecting limited law enforcement resources to better enforce existing laws and policies to abate illegal and anti-social behaviors in public spaces.
  
  Focused police presence is reducing criminal and antisocial behavior; with emphasis on behavior not residential status. Antisocial behavior can include vandalism, drug dealing, drinking in public, urinating in public, physical violence, aggressive panhandling and other types of harassment.
  
  The Ventura Police Department has a team of Officers that are currently engaging in what's called restorative policing, or street outreach. This means that officers are working with chronic vagrancy offenders or displaced individuals, by uniting them with family or friends if they desire, or to get the appropriate medical attention they need to get off the streets.
  
  To report antisocial behavior, contact the Ventura Police Department non-emergency phone at 805-650-8010.
• Redirecting limited maintenance resources to better maintain clean public spaces.
  
  While the entire community as a whole is being addressed, six areas of focus have been identified: Mission Plaza, Mission Park, Mini Park, Plaza Park, the Promenade and South Seaward Avenue. These areas are receiving maintenance frequently to ensure that they are safe and clean. Residents can call the City's Debris Removal Hotline at 805-677-3999 or log on to My Ventura Access to report significant debris issues located in public places serviced by the City; responsibility of debris removal is dependent on the site in which it is located.
• Partnering with community resources to better activate and animate public spaces to encourage enjoyment by the entire community.
  
  Anti-social behavior can occur in places where there is a lack of activity. The City has created a Special Event Permit Fund to assist in creating activities in public places.
• Strengthening collaboration with the County, social service agencies and faith-based organizations to support both "place-based" social services and supplement those services by assertive street outreach teams to reach service resistant clients.