A coalition of schools, churches, businesses and residents along 27^th Avenue has come together with the City of Phoenix to push back against what had become the epicenter of prostitution and other criminal activity in the Valley.

The coalition, dubbed 27Collab, formed in April 2024 to synchronize safety efforts in an area that is known nationwide as “The Track” or “The Blade” due to the proclivity of prostitution. 27Collab has launched initiatives to provide support services for victims of sex trafficking, better coordinate crime suppression efforts with Phoenix Police, add additional video cameras and lighting along 27^th Avenue properties, pool resources for a joint private security patrol, identify beautification projects, promote business opportunities on vacant properties, and open a new Grand Canyon University police substation at 5234 N. 27^th Ave. that will also be available to Phoenix PD.

The goal is to improve safety in the neighborhood and attract business development that will serve residents of the community.

“Community partnerships like 27Collab in which businesses, schools, community groups, residents and government agencies work alongside law enforcement are essential for public safety,” said interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan. “These efforts are making a significant impact on safety in what has been a hot spot for prostitution in Phoenix.”

The 27^th Avenue Corridor, which stretches from Indian School Road to Northern Avenue, is a heavy residential community and home to approximately 30,000 students at K-12 schools and GCU.

“Students and families should not be subject to this type of criminal activity just because they live at 27^th Avenue and Camelback instead of a more affluent area like 27^th Street and Camelback,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “As a Christ-centered university, we first and foremost want to provide support services for individuals who are victims of sex trafficking and get them the help they need. Beyond that, this community coalition is determined to make this a safe neighborhood again.”

GCU has invested $170 million along 27^th Avenue over the past decade on redevelopment efforts, including the GCU Hotel, Canyon Ventures business incubator space, a GCU CityServe warehouse that has provided $15 million worth of free household goods to 74,000 families in need, a Learning Lounge site offering free tutoring and full-tuition scholarships to K-12 students, the Grand Canyon Seminary, Canon 49 Restaurant, an Accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing program site and other office space.

The latest addition is a GCU Public Safety Dispatch and Real Time Operations Center at 5234 N. 27^th Ave. that opened this week. Using the City of Phoenix Adaptive Reuse Program, GCU transformed two of its existing buildings into Public Safety facilities that will provide increased crime detection technology that coordinates with the Phoenix and Glendale police departments while also serving as a deterrent to crime in the area. Monitoring systems will provide real time intelligence to aid security guards and police officers patrolling on and near campus. The facilities will also include office space, interview rooms, evidence storage and personal lockers for uniformed patrol officers and investigators.

“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Grand Canyon University for their dedicated efforts to make 27th Avenue safer for our students and families,” said Dr. Sharon Spearman, principal at Cordova Elementary School. “Through their partnership with local authorities and the community, significant improvements have been made to enhance the safety of the 27th Avenue Corridor. These changes are a vital step toward ensuring a safer environment for everyone traveling to and from school. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to the well-being of our community.”

Other recent successes along 27^th Avenue include:

• The opening of Rehoboth Place II, a collection of affordable housing near 27th Avenue and Camelback Road
• The opening of The Haven, a shelter for seniors experiencing homelessness near 27th Avenue and Northern Avenue
• The City of Phoenix dedicating millions of dollars in resources as part of its 27^th Avenue Corridor Community Safety and Crime Prevention Plan in 2022
• Habitat for Humanity acquiring a parcel of property at Glendale Avenue and 27^th Avenue that will become affordable housing options.
• And a police operation by the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service in September 2024 to seize control and shut down the Royal Inn near I-17 and Bethany Home Road due to widespread prostitution and drug trafficking activities.

That Royal Inn closure and the ongoing efforts by Phoenix Police are making drastic improvements to the safety of the neighborhood. Overall, crime is down 34% in the last five years in the areas surrounding GCU, while violent crime is down 20% in the last two years.

“From what we were seeing even just a year ago, there has been a significant momentum shift in the amount of development in this area and the efforts by many to push back on prostitution, drugs and other criminal activity,” Mueller said. “That criminal activity has not been fully eliminated yet, so there is more work to be done. But the City of Phoenix and the 27Collab partners will continue to build on these efforts to ensure the 27th Avenue Corridor is a safe and vibrant environment that enhances overall community well-being.”  – more at azbigmedia.com