MANCHESTER — Today marks the sixth anniversary that Manchester police Officer Michael Briggs was shot in a center city alley, an event that forced police to confront the dangers of their job and a city to rethink its approach to blight and crime, officials said.

Briggs, who was working a bicycle patrol, died the following day, the first Manchester police officer to die in the line of duty in 30 years. His killer, Michael Addison, was convicted of his murder and is appealing his death sentence.

Briggs' death brought a significant shift in the idea of community policing, said Police Capt. Rick Reilly, who has headed the community policing effort since David Mara became chief in 2008.

While the department still has a community police division, every officer participates in community policing, Reilly said. He described community policing as residents participating in police work rather than being policed.

“Community policing allows us to expand our department without expanding our budget,” Reilly said.

For example, the number of Crimeline tips jumped in the wake of Briggs' death and continues to remain strong, he said. And neighborhood watch groups, which numbered in the handful in 2006, now amount to 54.

On of the more active groups is in Rimmon Heights on the West Side.

“I feel like we're the eyes and ears of the police department,” said Diane Lavigne, president of one of the Rimmon Heights group. “If it wasn't for Officer Briggs' death, I don't think the city would have (community policing) Officer (Mark) Ampuja promoting this.”

Her group counts 200 members, holds monthly meetings and is a registered non-profit organization.

Police officers attend the monthly meeting to speak about specific crime-related issues. Residents undertake frequent neighborhood cleanups and brush cutting. And the organization partners with the city Health Department in grant applications, Lavigne said.

Another watch group welcomes the police SWAT team 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Somerville Street fire station.

In the center-city ward where Briggs was shot, Alderman Ed Osborne said he's seen a lot of changes.

The city is redeveloping dilapidated property such as the old Sealtest ice cream building on Spruce Street in the Hollow neighborhood, Osborne said.

And the city has spent millions in federal grant money redoing streets, curbs, sidewalks and streetlights, he said.

“The more you light up the sidewalks you put in, that cleans up the area,” he said.

But while Osborne hopes that Briggs rests in peace, he thinks life has gone on for most city residents.

“Over a period of time, people forget,” Osborne said.

At the Manchester police station, people don't forget. Police Chief Mara said the shooting put police safety in the forefront of everyone's mind. He mentioned the increase in watch groups as an outcome of Briggs' death.

As opposed to six years ago, Manchester is now struggling with theft and burglaries that Mara attributes to an explosion of prescription drug abuse such as Oxycontin.

“There's a lot more of it on the street, and people are getting addicted to it,” he said.

mhayward@unionleader.com