South City Park is a fine neighborhood, dog- and garden-wise, but it has its fair share of crime. I am more concerned with property crime (because it can affect me me me) than with the selling sex or drugs, but I am hardly blind to the facts that illegal activity--whether or not it should be illegal--dims the tone of the neighborhood and makes people fearful, and that drug trade increases property crime. Smoking your homegrown pot is one thing; buying meth and crack another.
So last night was a neighborhood meeting with police officers and city council members and RTD representatives and neighborhood residents and business owners, so many of us that we spilled out of the coffeeshop and hijacked the art gallery a few storefronts along. I volunteered to take notes more for my own peace of mind (my notes wouldn't spread grammatical errors) than out of generosity.
One hotel, with a bus stop out front, is the crime nexus, but everyone was aware that if the hotel became a veritable buttercup, the crime would only move into the alleys. People vented about cops harassing those who report panderers (report the badge number and behavior), and all taking breaks simultaneously such that more deals are done during their lunches at the café than at other times (the commander said they're not supposed to do that); and being distracted by a patrol car's windowful of bosom while two deals were done in plain sight half a block away.
It was a good meeting, and gave me a few ideas about neighborhood involvement. Also about the fact that apparently I live in the boring end of my neighborhood.