I have noticed this year seems like there is an increased in violence in the area. The University is constantly reporting theft with the most recent being an armed robbery this past weekend. I was definitely shocked and not prepared for the fact the Eve Carson was kidnapped from her home. I was talking to a friend of mine who owns a local business in Carrboro. We joked about the area being an "Utopia" or Carrtopia, if you will. However, it seems like this illusion may be shattering. I know Carrboro's crime has increased, as well. Thoughts?
Issues:
Comments
patterns
I think any town - unfortunately - has some areas that are less safe for late night walks, leaving your guitar in plain sight in the back of your car or for sleeping with the windows open than others. I was robbed five times in 1988, including having someone crawl into my room when I was sleeping.
I remember forming the impression in the early 90s when there were two robberies at gun point on Franklin St, Bob Sheldon was murdered on Rosemary and there were several incidents of people with guns in clubs or restaurants that Chapel Hill was surely becoming more less safe.
I now think it ebbs and flows as it does in any town.
When a shocking tragedy - such as Eve Carson's kidnapping and murder from a fairly quiet neighborhood (or the kidnapping and murder of a student grabbed from the Morehead Planetarium in 1987) - occurs I think we all become more tuned to some of the other violence in the area. The robberies and assaults that are actually taking place at different levels all the time.
But I don't find Chapel Hill or Carrboro less safe than they were before.
I would love to see more police out on foot in the heavily trafficked areas at night. Recently visiting a city alone, I was walking through the music district trying to find a restaurant with a small child in tow, and I noticed that the Police were not only walking around but also conversing with people "how are you tonight?"
That is an excellent idea. I
That is an excellent idea. I lived in New York City, and I did find that quite comforting. I think we should see more Carrboro & Chapel Hill police on foot!
“Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.” Helen Keller
Foot patrols
For the 8 years that I lived in Northside I only saw one pair of police officers on foot patrol and they were from Carrboro. I can't understand why the CHPD won't invest more in this method which is both cheaper and more effective than driving around.
They can't protect our neighborhoods if they don't know the neighborhoods, and the life of the community is out on foot, especially downtown.
I dunno that it'd be
I dunno that it'd be cheaper -- no car, sure, but you have to hire more officers to cover the same area with the same response time.
But still, I think more foot patrols would be nice.
that begs the question
Are the majority of offenses in Chapel Hill/Carrboro ones that require quick response from a person dashing to the scene?
Or are the majority taking place in areas that are not accesible by car?
Could some be deterred by the presence of a police on foot?
Honestly the majority of the people I know who were victims of assaults were on foot and attacked by people on foot.
I see this also as addressing the ongoing complaint that downtown isn't "safe" because while yelling at a stranger in the street isn't illegal, it is far less likely to happen with a police officer standing by.