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Police credit volunteers with curbing misconduct
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Town recruiting residents to report on downtown activity
By Linwood Outlaw III -- loutlaw@nvdaily.com
FRONT ROYAL -- Town police are relying on volunteers to stroll the downtown area and alert them to "unruly behavior," a method some merchants say already is yielding positive results, officials said Tuesday.
During a news conference at the Daily Grind coffee house on East Main Street, Police Chief Richard H. Furr credited members of the Front Royal Police Department's Volunteers in Police Services group with helping to reduce misconduct along the downtown corridor, which has a number of specialty shops and restaurants.
Furr said he asked the program's coordinator last month to make a schedule for volunteers to patrol the Main Street corridor. The group responded immediately, Furr said, and began a daily patrol for several hours each day.
VIPS members are recognized by their lime-green vests and badges. They walk together in teams of two and "report anything that needs attention to the police dispatcher, who would then dispatch a police officer to remedy the situation," Furr said at the news conference. The volunteers will continue to monitor the area through the end of this month.
Recently, merchants have complained about people who are loitering, using profanity, rough-housing or engaging in unruly activity in the area.
"I think most of the complaints were [from] the general, older population [who] did not feel comfortable with the language and the behavior of the younger generation," Furr said. "We're just trying to make it an enjoyable place for everybody to be able to use."
Herb Melrath, a member of the Downtown Front Royal Inc. board of directors and owner of the Daily Grind, said merchants have also had other concerns about activity in the area, including possible drug use.
The Town Council approved a code of conduct for the Village Commons area last year which helped reduce complaints about unruly behavior near the gazebo, Furr said. The council recently approved a similar policy for the Peyton Street parking area because of the same concerns.
"This past summer, we found that when the police officers were in the area, most people behaved themselves. But, during busy times when police officers were not available, some of the old problems began to surface again," Furr said. "Our volunteers have done a wonderful job of monitoring the area and talking with the Main Street merchants about the issues."
Melrath said the volunteer patrol method has been helpful.
"[We've seen] less loitering," Melrath said. "Sometimes, all you need is a [law enforcement] presence. You don't have to do anything except have a presence, and that sort of just takes care of itself. Right now, especially in October, we've got a lot of out-of-town business coming in. So, it's really important that we keep the downtown looking nice."
Robert Alls, 73, a retired local resident and VIPS member, said volunteers speak with merchants regularly. "A lot of the business people are telling us they see a difference, also," he said.
Furr also said that officer Donald Orye has been designated as the department's holiday patrol officer and will begin patrolling the town's two shopping centers, their parking lots and the Main Street area on Nov. 30. Furr said by beefing up patrols, officials have been able to cut down on shoplifting and thefts from vehicles in recent years.
I am still a little bit confused about this loitering issue. Why do the gazebo and adjacent benches even exist, if not for the purpose of "loitering"? Are there posted time limits helping people understand how long they are welcome to hang out downtown? And do the volunteers receive any type of training? Is there any consistency as to what is considered "profanity" and what are protected forms of free speech? Is there any evidence to support the belief that kids are openly using drugs on main street, right next to the police station? It almost sounds like the local business owners want to keep the local population hidden so that the main street can be reserved exclusively for the use of out-of-town tourists with deeper pockets and nicer clothing.
These are just a few questions that come to mind.
OK,I understand that the young people can be a nuisance, but you have to look on the other hand.There is no real rec center or teen center/club for them to go.When i was growing up we had a teen club held out of an old church , it was the best u could play basket ball, pool , board games, listen to music and dance Why not create a place for them to go to for a few hours an hang out with there friends and it should be founded by down town business owners . .
I don't think that the loitering that the downtown business owners are complaining about is in regards to people at the gazebo. They seem to understand that it is a public place and people have the right to gather there if they like. It seems like it is the people that loiter in front of stores screaming profanities across the street is more of the problem. I am not a merchant on Main Street but I can say that when I have had my family downtown that many times I have had people using more sever curse words quite loudly in front of my children and I can see how it would run off business. I have never had a store owner make me feel like they only wanted out of towners with deeper pockets shopping there. If anything they were always overly eager to have me come back and to tell everyone that I know to come by as well. I have also never heard anyone speak of actual drug usage downtown but rather the possibility of drug dealing. Either way, I agree that children need a place to go such as a rec center or church. Research the Front Royal Police Department VIPS and you will see that they have received training and are only relaying the information back to the Police Department not actually doing the job of the officers. I applaud their efforts and anyone associated with this activity. I think it is better to monitor any problems now before they become larger.
Traditionaly, what constitutes loitering has been a judgment call. Old Mr. Amos sitting on his bench with his newspaper and pigeons is generally not considered loitering. His grandson Thad and his buddies hanging on the corner appearing to case the area and making noise often is.
One problem with groups of people hanging around a place for no discernible reason is it makes others think they as up to something. Often they're not, they're just there because they're not somewhere else. But, it makes people uncomfortable and they stop coming to the area. This tends to make merchants cross for some reason and, if the folks stay away long enough, they close and move out starting the neighborhood on a downward spiral.
Whether one is loitering or not is rather like the "right of innocent passage" in naval law. Ships that sailed through an area with their gunports closed were accorded the right to pass through as long as they appeared to be making an innocent transit. If, on the other hand, they were cleared for action, they would be stopped and turned back.
"Loitering" suggests that one might not have innocent intentions (one reason naval patrol craft "loiter" rather than just sail or fly around).
I agree that the kids need someplace to go and something to do. A lot of times, there is nothing (keeping in mind that these same people are known to look in a stuffed refrigerator and complain, "There's nothin' to eat!"--yeah, I did it too). Young people are an inherently messy proposition and they do need somewhere to be with others of their sort were they can do their thing in safety and without unnerving us old poots too much.
Another thought, why not invite them to take part in the patrols? Works for the Guardian Angels.
Does the police have anything else better to tend to like fighting crime or finding real drug dealers. Its sad enough their is nothing for kids to do around town and the only place where they can meet is becoming their last. The last thing we need are safety patrollers walking the streets.
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