Merced to consider adding citizen patrol to downtown

The Merced City Council decided this week to pursue what police call an “ambassador program,” which would put a police radio in the hands of watchful citizens to try to give downtown Merced a sense of security.

Merced Police Chief Norm Andrade said the downtown suffers from a perception of high crime that’s not backed up by statistics.

Central Merced sees more crime than other areas, accounting for 41 percent of all reports, Andrade said Monday. But, of that crime, only about 3 percent is reported in the downtown core.

He described the core as the area from 16th to 18th streets and between N Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. “The (crime) downtown does not warrant the manpower requested,” he said.

Local business owners asked the council last month to add a foot patrol to downtown as a way to make people feel safe. The downtown also suffers from the loitering and panhandling of homeless people and others, business owners said.

Joey Essig, the acting president of the Merced Main Street Association, noted Monday that the stabbing of a police officer this week hasn’t helped perception.

Officer Danny Richardson responded to reports of an assault at the Main Street Starbucks just before 9:30 a.m. Monday. While Richardson was conducting interviews, witnesses said the suspect was outside, and they directed Richardson to Lawson Williams. As Richardson approached, Williams attacked him with a “multi-purpose tool” and cut him on the neck, police Capt. Tom Trindad reported.

An ambulance took Richardson to the hospital, where he was treated and released. Williams was arrested.

The council agreed unanimously Monday to look further at the citizen foot patrols. The police chief said a similar system has been successful in Phoenix, and recommended businesses set up a Neighborhood Watch-like program for business owners.

The council also directed staff to establish an ad hoc committee that will discuss safety issues in the area. The committee could include representatives from Merced Main Street Association, Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Neighborhood Association and Merced police, to name a few.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Merced to consider adding citizen patrol to downtown."