Keeping an eye on downtown

Sgt. Rick Price of the Cape Girardeau Police Department walked down Water Street with canine officer Jeff Bourbon as they patrolled the downtown area Aug. 24. (Aaron Eisenhauer) [Click to enlarge]

A series of ongoing negotiations taking place between Cape Girardeau merchants, Old Town Cape and city officials boils down to a request that police install at least two additional foot patrol officers in the downtown area on weekends when the bars are in operation.

The request was borne of an early April meeting at which local merchants expressed concern about the influx of bar patrons, said Mayor Jay Knudtson.

"It became abundantly clear to me that we need to have increased police presence," Knudtson said.

The idea would involve a "friendly police presence," meaning officers would wear polo shirts and running shoes rather than full uniforms. The patrol area would include a zone on Spanish, Main and Water streets, between Merriwether Street and Broadway, said Marla Mills, executive director of Old Town Cape.

The added patrol would be used from around 9 or 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, Mills said.

Patrolman Brian Blanner passed the neon lights of a downtown bar as he patrolled zone two, an area that includes downtown Cape Girardeau, on Aug. 24. (Aaron Eisenhauer) [Click to enlarge]

What has yet to be determined is who will foot the bill for the additional officers.

The patrolmen would be working overtime hours, which the Cape Girardeau police department already finds scarce, said police chief Carl Kinnison. Kinnison said he can't remember a year the department hasn't overextended its overtime budget, which was $190,000 last year.

The city has agreed to pay half of the projected annual $20,000 to $30,000 to place additional officers in the downtown, Knudtson said.

"Clearly, the city has a responsibility, but I don't think they have 100 percent of the responsibility," Knudtson said.

Old Town Cape recently sent surveys to every downtown merchant in an attempt to feel out which ones agree with the need for additional patrol and would be willing to supplement the cost, Mills said.

The surveys asked three questions of river front merchants:

1. Did they have recent concerns about property damage?

2. Did they believe an additional security presence would ensure the downtown area remained safe and inviting?

3. Did they support the idea of working with the city to help find financial solutions to the issue?

Old Town Cape will hold a meeting Wednesday to discuss the issue among local business owners.

Since the discussion began, Kinnison requested his patrolmen spend a small portion of their shift on foot in the downtown area, especially near the river wall, a recent target of vandalism.

A normal shift for the Cape Girardeau police runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., said Sgt. Rick Schmidt.

Patrol zones are divided at West End Boulevard where it intersects Independence Street.

One officer is assigned to each zone per shift, with two to four "rovers" and one sergeant, who circle the city and go where they are needed.

On a weekend, officers make sweeps up and down the downtown area more than anywhere else in town, Schmidt said. Installing officers on foot patrol, as opposed to cars, however, makes the "difference between night and day," he said.

"Vandalism is easier to curb on foot, because there's more interaction," he said.

From Jan. 1 to Aug. 1, less than 2 percent of peace disturbances reported within city limits occurred downtown. There were no robberies reported downtown in 2006.

For assaults, slightly less than 3 percent occurred downtown.

Out of incidents of property damage reported, just a shade under 10 percent occurred downtown. In all of 2006, just 2.6 percent of property damages occurred downtown.

The increased patrol would be a preventive measure, not a reactive one, and a sign that the city is expanding and developing, Mills said.

Knudtson agreed.

"It's all part of the renaissance down there. It's a good challenge," Knudtson said.

"It's something we do need," said Shanon McCoy, manager of River Nick's.

McCoy said his employees spend time each morning cleaning up broken beer bottles from the grounds.

Pat Bond, manager at Breakaway's, said he can see both sides of the issue. On the one hand, patrons shouldn't have to worry about crime when they go out for a fun night, but they also consider where police are likely to be when they head out for a night of drinking, Bond said.

"It makes sense. When you look at a lot of the big cities, that's what they do," said Brian Noto, owner of Mollie's Cafe & Bar, about the prospect of added police presence.

"We don't want it to come to a point where all the bar business is at Applebee's because that's where they know police won't be, but the police are professionals and know what they're doing," Noto said.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245