Safe Rental Housing Program

From: Sergeant Mark Buschena

To: Bismarck Landlords/Property Managers

Re: Safe Rental Housing Program

    If you’re not familiar with the Safe Rental Housing program, one part of it involves notification. This is where

the police department informs you, the landlord, of police responses to your managed property. Landlords often

lament, “I didn’t know the cops were at my tenant’s apartment for loud parties six times last month. Had I

known that I would have evicted him.” Well, now hopefully you’ll have the information and documentation to

evict some of these troublesome tenants.

The first step is to get information from you to put into a database. If you are interested in participating in this

notification program, we’ll need current information on your property addresses, and how to contact you.

Please fill out and fax in the “Request for Notification” form. Please make a copy of the blank form, and when

you have changes to phone numbers, addresses, personnel, etc. fax us an updated form so we can keep our data

current.

        Right now we are doing weekly notifications. We run a report of all the police responses to your apartments,

with a short narrative of why the police were there, and fax that to you. Depending on what the report was, or

how interested you were, you could then request a copy of the entire police report, if there is one, through

normal channels.

We won’t notify you on every call to your properties, only the ones you as a landlord would have some control

over. For instance, if we were sent to one of your apartments to take a forgery report, we would not notify you

of that. We would be more interested in notifying you of loud parties, disturbances, and fights. Also know that

some of the information may not be releasable to you because it is protected by law. This might include calls

involving juveniles and/or some child abuse cases. We’d normally notify you about police calls such as:

1. Noise disturbances—parties, loud music, etc.

2. Public nuisances

3. Possession of controlled substance

4. Disorderly conduct or peace disturbances

5. Minor possessing or consuming alcohol or providing alcohol to minors

6. Prostitution and indecent exposure

7. Unlawful use or possession of firearm

8. Assaults

9. Conduct, which violates laws relating to the need for protection services or for the delinquency of a

minor.

10. Criminal damage to property, including burglary, robbery and criminal mischief or terrorist threats.

    The reason for notifying you of police responses is so you are aware of what is going on with your tenants, and

if they are causing you problems you may be able to use this information in their eviction.

If you have questions about this program you call me at 355-1874. Thank you.

SERGEANT MARK BUSCHENA

Crime Prevention Supervisor

Bismarck Police Department

Safe Rental Housing Program

Request for Notification

Fax to: Sgt. Mark Buschena, 355-1925

Property Management Company Name:_____________________________

Property Manager’s Name:_______________________________________

Mailing Address:_______________________________________________

Fax Number:______________________Work Phone:__________________

Cell Phone:_______________________Home Phone:__________________

E-mail:________________________________# of Units:_______________

Address(es) of Property: (attach additional sheets if necessary)