My 2 Cents — 7.6.09

A good friend of mine is a lifelong resident and a reserve officer for the CPD Blue. As a result, he worked crowd control on the Fourth of July. I spotted him putting up barricades on Lakeside Avenue on my way to City Beach to watch the fireworks. On Sunday, I asked him about his experience with his officer duties on the Fourth. Predictably, he told me that he saw plenty of stupidity on the waterfront Saturday. However, I was surprised when he said he recognized only 10 people during his 8-hour shift. Most of the revelers, he guessed, were out-of-towners. He and I agreed that the element that the downtown area isn’t as family-friendly as it was a decade ago. I’ve noticed that on evening bike rides and strolls through City Park. In the last week, I’ve seen a domestic fight in the park. Young punks abusing a Mudgy & Millie statue. A young jerk trying to impress his galpal by mouthing off to me as I rode past on a bicycle. On Saturday, officers stopped individuals who were shooting major fireworks off from the library area over the packed crowds on McEuen Field. Etc. A week ago, some guy contacted the Press re: too much cop presence in the downtown area. Frankly, I believe Sherman Avenue would become a war zone for out-of-town gang bangers and local wannabes, if the town didn’t have such a presence.

Question: Do you feel safe going downtown in the evening?