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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > November > 20 > Entry
Kevin Riley: Street-smart officers have bright ideas for downtown
Do you feel safe when you’re walking alone on a dark, unlit and abandoned street that lacks signs?
Of course not. We go out of our way to avoid those situations.
Therein lies one of the challenges for people trying to revitalize downtown Dayton.
Even though downtown is safe — and statistics prove it — many people have the perception that it isn’t. In other ways, it can be intimidating if you don’t go there often.
Michael Ervin, a retired physician and health insurance executive who is behind an initiative called the Greater Downtown Plan, believes his group has to address safety. And Ervin says it will.
Two Dayton police officers who work downtown have become key contributors, and they have innovative ideas worth supporting.
Officers Bill Parsons and Shawn Huey, with the backing of their Central Business District boss, Lt. Larry Faulkner, advocate coupling tried-and-true safety and crime-prevention practices with efforts to create a vibrant downtown.
Here’s what they suggest:
— Use inventive lighting of buildings, parks and other key downtown areas to create a sense of excitement and safety.
— Install lighting, trim trees and fix sidewalks in areas that look unsafe to people. The officers’ ideas, which are cheap and easy to do, fit into what the Greater Downtown Plan is trying to do.
“With relatively little money, their ideas could literally be transformational for the city,” said Ervin. “People tend to focus on the big-dollar projects. Sometimes the really big changes are right in front of us and don’t cost a lot of money.”
Parsons and Huey are advocating for these ideas because they believe in Dayton and want people to feel safe there. They have led citizens and business owners on a late-night downtown tour, pointing out problem areas and opportunities to make them more inviting.
Ervin recalls them simply placing a flashlight at the base of statue to show how even a little light can make a big difference.
Last month, they organized a special presentation that drew ooohs and ahhhs from an audience at Sinclair Community College. The officers showed their concepts for lighting up buildings and areas of downtown. They took real buildings and created pictures of how they could look.
(Click here to see some before and after photos.)
They also convinced companies that sell lights and signs to assist in the presentation.
How did they come up with these ideas?
Parsons and Huey can give you an explanation based on theory and law enforcement studies, while Faulkner has a master’s degree in the subject. But their recommendations also reflect the pragmatism of experienced street cops.
They routinely work with bar owners to improve safety and behavior around their establishments. One of the first things they do? Check the bathroom at the bar. A messy, unkept bathroom with graffiti sends a signal, they say.
“They are going to tolerate the wrong behavior,” Parsons said. A clean, neat bathroom tells people they need to behave.
They also advise bar owners on lighting and music as a way of making sure things don’t get rowdy — and dangerous — at the wrong times. So they are applying the same principles of environmental psychology to making downtown streets safer. Make it look safe and that will help assure it is, they say.
Parsons and Huey specifically point to efforts at Cooper Park near the Montgomery County Public Library as a place where their concepts have worked.
Of course, these ideas all by themselves won’t completely turn around downtown Dayton. But they can help.
And their approach also fits in with getting grass-roots involvement for improving downtown.
Ervin has engaged an army of citizens, and these officers show that the approach is working.
“These guys are the perfect example of talented citizens listening and then getting excited about what they could do to revitalize the city,” Ervin said. “As a community, we are smarter when we all put our collective heads together in trying to figure out how to make a great future.”
Permalink | Comments (23) | Post your comment | Categories: City of Dayton, Columns, Kevin Riley, Law Enforcement and Public Safety, Local Business
Comments
By indadark
November 22, 2009 1:04 PM | Link to this
u gotta be kidding me…so if u turn the lights on..there will be no crime???….what a joke…..so when the SUN is lighting the world up…there is no crime….these guys have been in the light 2 long…
By null
November 22, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this
indadark, you really are! You missed the entire point of this story.
By Henry Essick II
November 22, 2009 8:43 PM | Link to this
These 2 officers are doing some of the things I’ve been advocating for years. Criminals hate light. The don’t feel comfortable under bright lights. Good going guys..
By K C
November 22, 2009 8:43 PM | Link to this
It’s a tried and true approach and has been around for years. Demonstration projects were funded years ago -back in the early 70’s- by the USDOJ, it’s known as Crime Prevention Thriugh Environmental Design. The closed streets in Five Oaks and in SE Dayton are examples. The roundabouts in the middle of streets and intersections are other examples. There are countless others on the books. These two cops are simpy struggling to get their ideas heard and deserve to be taken seriously and have their ideas tried out. It will cost less to implement their ideas than what it will cost to deal with the ongoing crime that will occur without the implementation.
By The Lights went out Long Ago
November 22, 2009 10:06 PM | Link to this
Sorry guys and you too Kevin, it wouldn’t matter if you lit Downtown Dayton up like Las Vegas, the people who would come downtown in the days gone by, young, vibrant professionals, they’re gone. They left last year looking for a JOB. I hate to be the purveyor of doom but no one is coming downtown gang, not 5 years ago, not now, not anytime in the near future. A+ for idea and effort, 10 years too late. These two cops will still be walking the beat when the last light is turned off.
By Susie
November 22, 2009 11:47 PM | Link to this
Oh the POWER of POSITIVE THINKING! Lets Light Up DAYTON, OHIO again… and I know where you can get the laborers wake up the immates @ 6am & put them to work lets not let them sit around any longer. Many of them owe back child support & they can earn min wage. These wages they earn can be sent to their children. Now their kids can say there daddy’s or mommy’s have a job there lighting up downtown Dayton. Make them earn their keep 12 hours a day instead of letting them just sit in jail doing nothing.
By Booger
November 23, 2009 1:27 AM | Link to this
If they light up downtown the few people that do wander there will realize there is nothing to do there and they’ll leave too.
By Booger
November 23, 2009 1:27 AM | Link to this
If they light up downtown the few people that do wander there will realize there is nothing to do there and they’ll leave too.
By null
November 23, 2009 7:56 AM | Link to this
Kudos to Officers Parsons and Huey! The deserve a pat on the back. If any of you naysayers took the time to learn more about Dr. Ervin’s Greater Downtown Plan, you would know and realize that in order to bring more people, more business, more amenities, more EVERYTHING to the area you that you have to start somewhere. All of you naysayers need to become a part of the solution, instead of making the problem worse.
By null
November 23, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this
Kudos to Officers Parsons and Huey! The deserve a pat on the back. If any of you naysayers took the time to learn more about Dr. Ervin’s Greater Downtown Plan, you would know and realize that in order to bring more people, more business, more amenities, more EVERYTHING to the area you that you have to start somewhere. All of you naysayers need to become a part of the solution, instead of making the problem worse.
By oldtimer
November 23, 2009 8:20 AM | Link to this
I wonder how many of the naysayers on here ever got off their butts and tried to do something constructive instead of just sitting and complaining. They should have had a mother like my wife who never let our kids sit around and complain about being bored. She always had them out picking up litter and working on constructive projects. Kudos to the officers and their supporters!
By South Park Rooster
November 23, 2009 8:45 AM | Link to this
Great job officers. Thank you for your service.
By John
November 23, 2009 8:47 AM | Link to this
Here is a thought, how about quit writing stupid traffic tickets and focus more on patrolling and solving crime?
By Calvin
November 23, 2009 9:11 AM | Link to this
Let’s put redlight cameras on every traffic light downtown to make it safer! Grin. Instead of having officers drive cars and pass out tickets to the dangerous druggies in their hoopties and drunkies in their cars. We need more tickets and checking cars and drivers for insurance and safety and even driver licenses. Instead Dayton gives a huge amount of money to a business in Australia to put up red light cameras at a few money-making intersections. They shortened the yellows so more tickets would be photographed. That’s really futuristic thinking, Dayton, it makes people really want to drive into the remnants of the city. The locals know where the cameras are and run all the other lights and make sure they stop for the redlight cameras; those from outside the area get to pay the money. Put the officers in a car and let them start watching for traffic violations. Cracked windshield? Loud muffler. Modified tires and wheel sizes that mean your car won’t stop as fast as designed? Ticket and tow. Take a look at the drive into the remnants from east, west, north other than from Daytonfied kettering and you’ll see why people don’t think it’s safe. Write more tickets. Take down redlight cameras and put officers roving from traffic light to stop sign looking for violations.
By John
November 23, 2009 9:24 AM | Link to this
Calvin: Someone got to pay the $50 an hour these guys are getting. Its call revenue generation.
By Too Late & A Dollar Short
November 23, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this
Lighting empty buildings that house no economic activity won’t bring much back to Dayton. I’m afraid it’s solidly on the obituary list of old manufactuirng cities that are beyond life support. Sadly, it will take its suburbs with it.
By lori
November 23, 2009 9:59 AM | Link to this
I am so tired of people putting Dayton down! If you can’t be a part of the solution then MOVE… Alot of cities have had to pull themselves back up but it can be done look at Indy for example and how they turned their downtown around, it doesn;’t happen overnight but with a positive attitude and everyone helping it can and will happen. Look at some of the dayton neighborhoods if more people had a sense of PRIDE for where they lived wether they rent or own people would not have to move to the suburbs to feel safe
By Toney
November 23, 2009 12:05 PM | Link to this
Really Downtown is Safe??? Mostly they are just mugging people, or my Favorite, Could you spare a few Dollars My Partner just told me He has AIDS and we need some help. If that one does not scare the crap out of you, you are bigger man than I. Downtown Safe, yea, ever since the Police took that 5% they are no where to be seen downtown. I love Dayton Born, Raise, and Blossoming, but to suggest that Lighting up downtown would be the fix cause criminals do not like the light. I would say since most go to jail weekly and are release by Matt Heck that they would enjoy being able to tell there victims social class with out having to go through a few losers first.
By Bill
November 23, 2009 1:51 PM | Link to this
Every city has these same pessimistic naysayers; those of you working toward making Downtown Dayton better (including the police that deserve kudos for trying new ideas) should not spend a second worrying about what anonymous people are saying here. None of them have spent any time being part of the solution, and I’ll bet few of them have even come downtown more than twice in the past year anyway.
By fortressdayton
November 24, 2009 8:53 AM | Link to this
Downtown IS the safest part of Dayton, but that is relative. Although the idea is well-intentioned, the vast majority of folks who come downtown are either going to the Victoria/Schuster or are bar-hopping. These folks walk quickly to their cars and drive wherever they need to go. I work and live in downtown Dayton, so don’t say I am bashing the city. KUDOs for trying though.
By .disbar mat heck and all judges
November 24, 2009 12:46 PM | Link to this
Dayton is ranked #20 in crime for a reason mat heck is dedicated to making crime not a crime in this city. 90% of illegal guns charges are dismissed. 90% of felonious assault cases end up with community control sentences. Nearly all of the murder victims in this town have been killed by a criminal released by mat heck. Crime is not a crime in this town. DDN do a story on these facts.
By skeeter
February 8, 2010 10:23 AM | Link to this
I just want to say this, I bought a home in downtown dayton 5 months ago. i moved here from out of state.But i used to live in dayton 20 years ago. The change in this city is a disgrace.In the 5 months ive lived here i have had to call the police for people breaking in to homes around me. And i had two men trying to break in my back door at 9:00AM.Did the daylight deter them. NO. I have a beautiful home, and its amazing to me that my neighborhood has been allowed to become what it is today. There has not been a day go by that you dont hear numerous gun shots. Do the people have permits for these guns.NO. I live 3 minutes from a police station,but i guess in this city the only crime that does matter IS traffic violations. If you look at the Dayton Daily News link on jail inmates. 80% of them are traffic violations. NOT violant crimes or gun charges or drug charges. Bottom line i love downtown dayton,and the beautiful old homes.But the law inforcement need to SERIOUSLY change their priorities!!!!
By skeeter
February 8, 2010 10:24 AM | Link to this
I just want to say this, I bought a home in downtown dayton 5 months ago. i moved here from out of state.But i used to live in dayton 20 years ago. The change in this city is a disgrace.In the 5 months ive lived here i have had to call the police for people breaking in to homes around me. And i had two men trying to break in my back door at 9:00AM.Did the daylight deter them. NO. I have a beautiful home, and its amazing to me that my neighborhood has been allowed to become what it is today. There has not been a day go by that you dont hear numerous gun shots. Do the people have permits for these guns.NO. I live 3 minutes from a police station,but i guess in this city the only crime that does matter IS traffic violations. If you look at the Dayton Daily News link on jail inmates. 80% of them are traffic violations. NOT violant crimes or gun charges or drug charges. Bottom line i love downtown dayton,and the beautiful old homes.But the law inforcement need to SERIOUSLY change their priorities!!!!