Safety Ambassadors

The Downtown Ambassador Program combines three services in one -- hospitality, safety and janitorial -- to keep downtown safe, clean, and hospitable.

Open and engaging, safety ambassadors walk around downtown and are highly visible, wearing red and black with 'Downtown Raleigh Ambassador' jackets, shirts, caps and I.D. picture badges.

They patrol the streets and accompany people as they walk to and from six decks. They deter suspicious activity from happening. Stewards of the greener environment, they take brooms, buckets and dust pans to the streets, and use a vacuum sweeper to clean 110 blocks.

The program, established in 2005, has approximately six cleaners and 15 safety personnel. Licensed as unarmed security officers, the safety staff are trained in first aid and are Heartsaver CPR certified.

In the course of up-keeping, and when other needs arise, safety ambassadors proactively obtain assistance from City of Raleigh staff in Parks and Recreation, Street Maintenance, and the Police Department. They report potholes and graffiti; and when street lights are out, they call Progress Energy.

Ambassadors call police and keep visual contact if someone's disruptive. They maintain communication -- and a great relationship -- with law enforcement.

"We're the eyes and ears of downtown," stated Rob Rutten, ambassadors program manager. Rutten calls the program, "The downtown concierge of the street."

From an economic standpoint, the program is helpful to business. Downtown destinations attract more people with safety. Rutton states, "The ambassadors, downtown's walking concierges, are a vital and visible part of keeping our streets clean, safe, and welcoming."

Strategically supporting the greater good and success of downtown, the Raleigh Downtown Alliance (DRA) sponsors the Safety Ambassador Program. DRA subcontracts the clean and safety program of Block by Block, which furnishes services in downtown development districts across the country.

DRA is funded by a variety of sources, but primarily from the revenues from the municipal services district (MSD). An MSD is funded by property levy collected by government, but funded by properties owners in downtown that want enhanced services to revitalize downtown.

DRA has more than 400 members, and more than 6,000 citizens have subscribed to the downtown newsletter. Citizens and organizations may support the Raleigh Downtown Alliance through DRA membership.

President of DRA David Diaz states, "A healthy downtown is vital to our city and county." According to Diaz, 15 percent of all city jobs are in downtown. Ten percent of all revenues generated for the county from restaurants and night clubs comes from downtown. In 2010, Downtown had $1.5 billion in taxable income for property taxes. "All of these revenue sources are used throughout the city and county, not just downtown, showing the economic impact of a healthy center city on our region."

The Ambassadors Clean and Safety program provides downtown visitors and workers much more than keeping the streets safe and the sidewalks clean. They provide assistance in almost every means to make time in downtown welcoming. Patrolling on foot, the ambassadors provide directions to businesses, escort pedestrians, assist stranded motorists, provide outreach to the homeless, and even say a nice "Hello" with their personality and smiles.

Safety Ambassadors

The safety ambassadors assist downtown visitors, workers, and residents by providing maps, guides, directions, and information about restaurants and other attractions. The safety ambassadors are trained to handle a variety of situations, including:

• Parking information;
• Directions/way-finding;
• Dining, shopping, and other downtown attractions;
• Calls for assistance to police, fire, EMS, and AAA;
• Escorts along public property;
• Downtown project information; and
• Downtown parking deck security.

If you're lost, safety ambassadors will help you find your way. Additionally, ambassadors will:

• Jump-start cars;
• Push cars out of the middle of the road;
• Find lost cars;
• Provide parking meter assistance;
• Carry a package a couple of blocks; and
• Advise people how to find the nearest restaurants and attractions.

Safety Ambassador Hours:

6:00 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday
10:00 a.m. to midnight, Saturday

To request a safety ambassador, call the safety patrol supervisor at 919-368-7962 for assistance.

Clean Ambassadors

Clean ambassadors are responsible for maintaining the appearance of public pedestrian areas in downtown. To accomplish this goal, clean ambassadors provide the following services:

• Daily litter pick-up;
• Sidewalk sweeper operation;
• Special maintenance projects;
• Graffiti removal; and
• Special event assistance.

Clean Ambassador Hours:

7:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

To reach the program manager, call 919-821-6978 during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or after business hours at 919-796-6606, or email Rob Rutten.

For more information, visit the Raleigh Downtown Raleigh Alliance.