Downtown Albuquerque has become a popular nightspot for the young and even the not-so-young. There are movie theaters, restaurants, and bars aplenty. Downtown has become an example of what new urbanist acolytes like Councilor Ike Benton advocate for the rest of the city.
The area has been the focus of the Chavez administration since The Almighty Alcalde's first tenure on the 11th floor. As a result, Downtown Albuquerque has changed a lot and benefited from the city spending large amounts of taxpayer money to expand the convention center, remodel Civic Plaza, and if the mayor has his way we'll be spending hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars more to build a new arena and put in a shiny new trolley.
All of the recreation and the shiny new toys (paid for by the taxpayers) are hiding the dirty underbelly of the Downtown experience. Our Eyes behind the badge tell us Rape, murder, and assault are almost nightly occurences. And despite the disproportionate APD force allocation, crime in the Downtown area is on the rise.
The July 13th murder in the Downtown parking garage is just one example of the danger that is life on Central Avenue (ABQ Journal - Subscription). Our Eyes tell us about another incident involving a Downtown alley, seven men, a knife, a woman, and a rape. Right now, Downtown isn't a safe place to be particularly if you happen to find yourself in city's first street garage - which according to our Eyes is particularly dangerous.
There are a couple of issues here. The mayor has decided that Downtown will be part of his legacy so he's willing to spend large amounts of money trying to get the situation under control. From this month's murder we'd humbly suggest that The Almighty One has failed despite the taxpayer expense. (We talked about the additional Downtown security back in April - read it here.)
Another problem is that The Almighty One decreed from his perch on the 11th floor that officers were to keep a low profile. By low profile, the directive instructed officers not to park on Central. In fact, they're not to park within a block of the Central Crime District. In addition, officers are not to congregate or to walk more than two abreast down the sidewalk.
It's simply foolish to put the kind of money into making Downtown safe and then decree that officers need to remain low profile and park their vehicles at a distance that leaves them without their equipment.
All of this leaves us wondering whether or not we've created a focal point for criminal and gang activity. If we have created an entertainment and crime district, shouldn't those businesses that contribute to the problem also contribute to the solution? Currently, Downtown bars are the only bars in town that receive police protection without paying chief's overtime.
Finally in light of the current situation in the Downtown area, why are we looking to add more people (potential victims) with trolleys and arenas (assuming there'd be anything to see in the 12,000 seat boondoggle) when we can't keep people safe now? The crime problem Downtown is just another problem that The Almighty Alcalde is ignoring... Something like fiddling while Downtown burns.
18 comments:
Although I agree that there is crime in the downtown area, I would have to be harder pressed to believe that there is an actual increase... This months murder was not the first ever, nor will it be the last. Downtown is a rough part of town, but it has been for a very long time. I would like to see the area cleaned up, and would suggest a long look be taken at the homeless population who continue to live for free off donations and handouts at the various shelters in the area. Yes, many of the people commiting the crimes come in from other areas, and many are probably not homeless, but they blend in with the rest of the trash. If you want to clean up the downtown area, start with the most disgusting problem, and the rest will begin to follow. In the meantime, it would be nice to see the officers given back their tools to do their job...
Im glad you are addressing the downtown issue. Downtown is not safe. The absence of police cars is crazy. When I first found out police were not allowed to park on Central, and had to park a few blocks away at the police station I was amazed. Then, pairing the police off by twos creates an officer safety issue. If I'm not mistaken it was only two weekends after this decision and an officer was hurt breaking up a drunken brawl outside a bar. I've seen my fair share of fights downtown. Theres at least a fight every friday and saturday night (more like at least 5 fights). Marty should focus more on staffing downtown with officers than with drunks in bars. Get downtown under control before you make it even crazier with more people. Get rid of the nuisance bars (i.e. Club 7), bumper to bumper cruisers, and stop telling police how to do their job.
If you wanna dance .... ya gotta pay the fiddler .... the eye is right .... Downtown is not much fun anymore .... a new arena will only make matters worse .... increased law enforcement and more crime in the area only seem to give the newspapers more to write about .... somebody needs to back off!
The real shame is that Mayor Marty will never have to respond to your questions, or to any other questions.
He doesn't read or pay any attention to "silly" blogs.
Oh, you know he pays attention. He has one of his little workers reading the blogs and listening to the radio stations reporting back to him. It's very sad, but that is the truth. But then again, I might want to get paid big bucks to sit around and do what that person is doing.
I think it's time for a new Mayor!
We need to start thinking of a new leader who will support APD and the citizens of Albuquerque. This guy only cares about himself and how is the best way to get re-elected and we always let him get away with it. The rank and file of APD used to be respected, now we're always used and disrespected by this egomaniac.
I agree with 7-29-08 (2:19), It's time for this guy to go. The only problem is, who replaces him? Any suggestions? Whoever it is, there must be a concerted effort by the readers of this blog, and of course others, to oust the current mayor.
You would think He'd respect APD after all the money they gave him in his first couple of elections
how can we be having all these problems downtown when that clown garcia has his squad constantly logged down there?
if he's costing the public thousands of dollars worth of overtime for off duty officers to handle his squads duties then whats the use of us being down there when crimes are still occurring?
The above comment, I think were creating a huge liability. We say that APD has all this Police protection and we still have homicides. The 5th floor needs to stop saying how great they are before it gets shoved up their one million dollar as%
Why do you guys focus on downtown so much? There is crime everywhere in this city, not just downtown. If I remember correctly, a couple was brutally murdered in their home near Tanoan, a woman was run over by a POLICE OFFICER on East Central, and the most recent heinous murder over a tip jar happened in Nob Hill. You are just focusing on DT, because you don't approve of the people who hang out there. You all constantly quote the Constitution and tout Americans' rights and freedoms, but you seem to tout those freedoms only as long as people are allowed to act and think like you.
I happen to hate the current mayor on principle, but as a resident of downtown ABQ, I do realize that Marty has done a lot for my neighborhood. It used to be a real cesspool. Now, at least, there is stuff to do, places to shop, and restaurants at which to eat. Would you be so opposed to the Arena if it were being proposed in the Heights? Probably not.
Stop being upset that $$$ is no longer being funneled to the Heights and is being spent somewhere else for once. If you open your eyes (and your minds), you will see that there is life south of Menaul and west of Louisiana. And not all of it is bad.
Downtown may be dangerous, and Marty may be trying to make it look like he cares, but why doesn't he care about the war zone crime? it's way worse than downtown. Even cops are killin people by handcuffing them face down on the ground...... Hmmmmm
I am amazed by the ignorance and uninformed responses on this blog sometimes!!!
"Even cops are killin people by handcuffing them face down on the ground...... Hmmmmm"
"You would think He'd respect APD after all the money they gave him in his first couple of elections"
Please educate yourself and quit dealing in supposition and innuendo when you make comments. Facts are fun!
But KUDOS to the first two posters...very nice!
Anarchy or Martial Law.....you choose!
""I am amazed by the ignorance and uninformed responses on this blog sometimes!!!""
Sort of half right;
1. nobody has died from positional asphixia [handcuffed and lying face down] in over 10 years.
2. The APOA did give Marty an assload of money as campaign contrib... it aint hidden it's reported.. They sure as heck are sorry they wasted that $$ now
You are right, facts are fun...
Actually the current APOA is sorry that prior boards were stupid enough to waste money hand over fist, regardless of where it went. It is money that could be used to help the members now, when the members really need it. The person who is really sorry is Paul P......paid all of that union money to Marty....and now he's stuck in the field as a rehire....no special job for him! Just goes to show... doing the right thing might actually be the right thing to do!!
When you define you're integrity by casting stones at somebody else you cast doubt on your credibility. If you want to take a stand do it on your own merits, not by pointing out how you're different from somebody else.
The APOA endorsed a very divisive contract but AT LEAST they took a position. Maybe there was a play behind the scenes, maybe not but at least they made a decision.
Dear eye, might you be able to tell us what killed the kid on the 400 block of Texas on July 18th in the early morning hours? He was alive, then handcuffed face down, and then he wasn't alive. I think the supposed 10 year streak is down to a couple weeks.
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