Operation Clean Sweep Tidying Up Malvern Streets
By: Josh Berry
Updated: January 24, 2013
It's "pick up or pay up" in Hot Spring County as the streets of Malvern are placed under a microscope while city authorities look for properties that aren't being kept up.
KARK followed along with authorities Thursday (1/24) as they made a clean sweep of the area.
In addition to some of the run down abandoned places, Malvern Police and Code Enforcement have started an operation to make sure folks keep up appearances. It's something they say could curb crime which is a welcome relief for homeowners.
Geneva Ledbetter has checked the mail box on her street for a long time.
"I'm proud to be on this street," she said.
As she walks outside though she sees not everybody shares the same sentiment.
She pointed out a broke-down truck in the yard full of trash, "They don't have pride in the community."
The city of Malvern however, has set out to do something about it.
Yellow slips of paper are handed to the people responsible for messes in their yards.
We followed along Thursday as Malvern Police officers passed out citations hoping to encourage people to tidy up as part of "Operation Clean Sweep."
MPD took the city and broke it down in to 30 sectors going through one at a time determining who needed to clean up. They say a priority is areas around the schools.
"So that's what we're trying to do here," explained Cpl. Clay Coke. "Not only help bring up everybody's property value but also lower our crime at the same time."
While they tell the people at the door something needs to be done, they're also suggesting ways to accomplish it.
Cpl. Coke said, "People like Sykes are going to come out here in the next few weeks and they're gonna start going door to door with paint brushes and paint and if you need something done to your house need your yard mowed, they're here to help."
The yellow cards they hand out now are only warnings. Next time though if homeowners haven't cleaned up, they'll have to pay up.
Ledbetter added, "I was so glad to hear that they were going to try to do something and clean up the..."
It goes without saying that this program sounds great for someone that sees her neighborhood from the mailbox every day.
KARK followed along with authorities Thursday (1/24) as they made a clean sweep of the area.
In addition to some of the run down abandoned places, Malvern Police and Code Enforcement have started an operation to make sure folks keep up appearances. It's something they say could curb crime which is a welcome relief for homeowners.
Geneva Ledbetter has checked the mail box on her street for a long time.
"I'm proud to be on this street," she said.
As she walks outside though she sees not everybody shares the same sentiment.
She pointed out a broke-down truck in the yard full of trash, "They don't have pride in the community."
The city of Malvern however, has set out to do something about it.
Yellow slips of paper are handed to the people responsible for messes in their yards.
We followed along Thursday as Malvern Police officers passed out citations hoping to encourage people to tidy up as part of "Operation Clean Sweep."
MPD took the city and broke it down in to 30 sectors going through one at a time determining who needed to clean up. They say a priority is areas around the schools.
"So that's what we're trying to do here," explained Cpl. Clay Coke. "Not only help bring up everybody's property value but also lower our crime at the same time."
While they tell the people at the door something needs to be done, they're also suggesting ways to accomplish it.
Cpl. Coke said, "People like Sykes are going to come out here in the next few weeks and they're gonna start going door to door with paint brushes and paint and if you need something done to your house need your yard mowed, they're here to help."
The yellow cards they hand out now are only warnings. Next time though if homeowners haven't cleaned up, they'll have to pay up.
Ledbetter added, "I was so glad to hear that they were going to try to do something and clean up the..."
It goes without saying that this program sounds great for someone that sees her neighborhood from the mailbox every day.
