EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – El Paso police said the Cincinnati entertainment district is experiencing violent crime and changes in the busy block.
The SPD said the bloc saw fewer violent crimes in the past month thanks to an increased presence with law enforcement agencies.
EPPD Lt. Shields, whose first name was withheld for security reasons, told members of the city’s Uptown Parking Benefit District that there was “security saturation” not just in the Cincinnati area but in entertainment districts across the city.
Police have made seven drug crime arrests since late April, Shields said. In addition, one person was arrested on an arrest warrant.
The police also recorded 101 parking notices, 50 traffic-related tickets and 102 identity checks. The officers also searched 111 vehicles.
Signs mentioned police still seeing motorists driving on the wrong side of the road, but one committee member was quick to point out that this has been a problem for 30 years.
“Violent crime has gone down, and that’s really good,” she said.
In addition to lower crime reports, some changes are proposed for the Cincinnati area.
An adviser tries to polish up the area with suggestions from the committee. This includes parking bans in alleys, one-way streets and the pedestrian zone after 6:00 p.m.
There are also suggestions for decorative lighting, planters, artwork, surface treatment, and freshly painted phone lines.
The news was welcomed by members of the park district who had heard complaints from the community about crime and noise earlier this year.
Shops along Cincinnati Avenue received public criticism for incidents of violence and noise as commercial activity resumed. The shop fronts and bars had been sleepy for more than a year due to state and city regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
EPPD: Violence Increase in Cincinnati Entertainment District as a homicide investigation continues
However, things are looking up for the so-called entertainment district as the revenue from the parking meters reflects more business income compared to last year. In total, the Uptown Parking Benefit District has $ 52,273 left over for safety and improvement efforts, according to city documents.
The business owners on the committee and the police agreed that progress was being made in reducing noise in the area. They found that the Lost and Found bar had put up a noise barrier and turned down the volume of the music.
“We still have complaints. What the officers tell me is not nearly as bad as it was before the wall was built, ”she said.
Shields said, however, that efforts to crack down on crime in certain areas of the city have pushed a “criminal element” into other bars and places. It’s a good thing and a bad thing, she told the committee.
She named El Rey Muerto and El Paso Drafthouse, both on N. Mesa Street, as places where police are paying more attention.
Business owner reacts to police observations at his locations
Justin Kaufman, owner of El Rey Muerto and El Paso Drafthouse, had strong words for police statements during the meeting last week. He said he believed that most police officers do a good job and are committed to the community.
But he said his facilities received the wrong attention from authorities.
“El Paso Drafthouse made a false claim that someone allegedly alleged there was someone with a gun and a 50-person fight,” Kaufman said. “Not a single injury was reported and it was all incorrect information. There was poor information and miscommunication from the police about the news. “
Dispatchers alerted police to gunfire during an incident involving 50 people in the West El Paso bar
A police spokesman said their patrol officers had been made aware of a possible active shooter and that emergency calls had been received from people “to involve bar staff who reported shots fired.”
“The shooter’s descriptions that were passed on to the patrol officers who responded were those of a black man,” the spokesman wrote in an email to KTSM 9 News. “The information shared on social media was only of paramount importance in the interests of public safety.”
Kaufman said its facilities offer safe and controlled environments and asked why the police on Jan.
“The reality is that there are people in high positions who don’t like black people having a place to drink,” he said. “There are a handful of cops who didn’t like what I’m doing, especially because we like doing things for the urban community. There are racist cops in the police force. The reality is that there are people in high positions who don’t like black people having a place to drink. “
The police spokesman rejected Kaufman’s remarks.
“To imply or claim anything other than this as the basis of the police reaction is not only absurdly ridiculous, but also a reprehensibly irresponsible scapegoat statement that one has to fall back on when there is no legitimate substance to stand on”, said the spokesman.
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