Does having a downtown station discourage criminal activity?

[canadiancop]

There is a heated debate with some politicians in my city. There are 45 000 people in the city and the core area is filled with dirty hotels which where many welfare, mental heath clients and disabled people with next to no money live in. Each hotel has a bar as well.

We get called downtown to each of these bars often but not always for something serious. Anyway, there is the odd stabbing between drunks and domestics that occur every month or so.

The city council and local political parties (some) seem to think that building our new police station downtown in turn having more of a Police presence will eliminate crimes in these slummy areas.

I doubt it. People are all up in arms, there are articles in the paper everyday how the citizens feel so "afraid" to walk downtown b/c of these type of establisments that exist. Most of the time the crimes comitted are between people who know eachother--not a random attacks.

What do you think? Will building our new station directly downtown help deter criminal activity or will it still be present. Non-cop community leaders seem to think this will solve all of the problems present in our core area. I know better.

[Matto]

As long as you're getting a new pd built, I don't see what it matters.

[canadiancop]

Yeah great a new station..!!

but do you honestly feel that a station built downtown actually deters crimes? I dont think it will. Political figures and community leaders seem to think its the magic solution.

[cst.sb]

It depends, I think if you look at the Vancouver Police and their downtown Police HQ, it's the worst area of town.

If you open an HQ (with a bucket), then the clients are going to leave the cells and go straight to the hotels, and seedy bars.

The reality is that they have to go somewhere. If city hall wants to take care of the problems, then they should go after business and liquor licences first. Ya, can't have shady business is city hall doesn't issue them permits.


Here are some pics of the area around the old VPD HQ. Click Here

[Matto]

Yeah great a new station..!!

but do you honestly feel that a station built downtown actually deters crimes? I dont think it will. Political figures and community leaders seem to think its the magic solution.

I think it would be a deterrence, but thats just me. I've found around here, they like to build PD's in the older parts of towns I guess to project the image that the city hasn't forgotten about the older areas.

[Fëanor]

It is not going to solve anything at all. Heck, I'd be lucky if I could show you ANY local police station. I think I know how to find a substation if it is still there from ~10 years ago. Shows how much impact their location has on the community, huh?

Besides, you are not looking at this from the right angle: Is the new police station going to make your commute to work longer or shorter?

[Can_Rookie]

Besides, you are not looking at this from the right angle: Is the new police station going to make your commute to work longer or shorter?

Hmmmmmm, when you live in a city of 45,000...how far of a commute could it possibly be??

[LeanG]

It should result in a .000001% drop in crime.

The margin of error for this estimate is +/- 5%