New Haven Independent

Posted by: Ben Berkowitz | April 15, 2008 5:24 PM

A walking officer on State Street in the evenings would certainly help to curb these attacks.

Posted by: on whalley | April 16, 2008 7:50 AM

....or just force the criminals to wait until the walking officer passes.

I don't know about the thugs on the street currently but if I were ever a criminal I would be much more comfortable in escaping consequence if I saw the police, bike, walk or drive by than if I didn't see any cops around at all.

Knowing where the enemy is is preferable to not knowing there is an enemy nearby.

If you had a few walking cops and their beat was random not a pattern then you'd catch some criminals but one or two walking with a pattern just makes committing a crime in that area more of a thrill.

Posted by: Ned | April 16, 2008 7:58 AM

Welcome to New Haven! Lock your doors and roll up your windows - oh never mind...

Posted by: DAFeder | April 16, 2008 11:43 AM

Ben, I'm with you on the beat officer. And not just because I live close by -- shouldn't the city be doing all it can to support economic development and public life in viable-but-still-transitional neighborhoods? If it can't be done here (and similar neighborhoods on Grand or Chapel or Whalley, etc.), what hope is there in this town?

Seems to me, crime in this 'hood generally happens at, against, or within sight of the Shell station on Willow and Nicoll. How 'bout some police presence there?

David

Posted by: EarlyBird | April 18, 2008 7:54 AM

Dafeder,

Actually, Lawrence Street from Foster to State is a bigger problem than the Shell station.

Having lived on Nicoll for two years, I can attest to the constant dealing that goes on in those blocks. And there were some high profile muggings (one at gunpoint) in 2006 that resulted in a "Take Back the Block" event.

Can anyone in that area update us on that intitiave?

CedarHill - do you have any tips for the good neighbors there to encourage dealers and their customers to am-scray?