OPINION: Community needs to embrace new police substations
Published: September 7, 2009
Law-abiding citizens shouldn’t feel uncomfortable in the company of police officers. Criminals should.
That’s part of the premise behind the Aug. 3 opening of a new Florence Police Department substation at Dargan and Evans streets.
There hasn’t been much feedback yet on the new substation, but business owners and their customers seem to have welcomed the police presence. It gives them a sense of security, even if the effects of it aren’t yet tangible.
The substation is within easy walking distance of the police department headquarters, which is housed — and somewhat hidden away — with many other city and county offices within the Florence City-County Complex. The substation, and its officers, are meant to be more easily accessible to people passing by in downtown Florence who need help from the police or want to learn more about what they can do to be vigilant against crime.
It’s also within walking distance of the scene where 26-year-old Anthony D. Robinson was shot early Friday morning while trying to get into a vehicle on North Dargan Street. Bystanders tried to give Robinson CPR in the nearby Trinity Baptist Church parking lot, but he died within an hour of the shooting.
“I know a lot of people have a concern about downtown, and there is a perception of downtown as a very violent and dangerous place, Florence Police Chief Anson Shells said in a June interview, “but the fact that most of the crime that happens in the downtown area happens to be property crimes, particularly arsonists.”
Friday’s fatal shooting proves a substation will not prevent crime in downtown Florence. It’s a step in the right direction, however. The existence of a police substation alone isn’t going to make people feel safer. Community involvement in and support of the substation are needed.
The Florence police satellite offices at Magnolia Trace Apartments could serve as a model. They’re staffed by members of the department’s Community Action Team (CAT), which was formed with funds the agency received from the Community Oriented Policing Services grant almost a year ago. After obtaining the grant, the department formed a partnership with the Florence Housing Authority that allowed officers to use vacant apartment units as offices.
The point is, police substations on every corner in Florence won’t make an impact without the community’s involvement.
“Neither the police or the community can successfully fight crime alone,” Shells said. “In order to be successful, we need each other.”
The Florence Police Department’s dedicated officers and support staff continue to reach out to the community they serve. It’s time for the community to step forward, now, and take an active role in its own safety.
— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I agree with Reddog, it makes me so sad when I remember the downtown of my highschool years….. when we would go to Belk and Gladstones Dress shop ... it’s is virtually destroyed now but I applaud the cities efforts to try and build it back up.
Nick you make a lot of sense. What we also need is The Judicial system to take a hard line against Criminals. Give them the maximum penalty. Once they are in Prison let them do their full time. Eliminate the Parole system, and take away the Prisoners privileges. Put the TV on an Educational channel, Take away their commissary privileges, remove every thing from their cell but toilet paper and a toothbrush, limit visitation to one visitor a week through a Plexiglas window so nothing can be passed thru. Allow them 1 book to read a week. Most important of all is no yard time, if they want to exercise they can run in place, do sit-ups and pushups. The honest and hardworking Taxpayers have spent Billions every year to try and rehabilitate prisoners, but it is to the point where Prison time is seen as a sign of respect to these hoodlums. So I believe it is time to lock down the criminal and set the law abiding citizen free. We also have a Police Chief who just doesn’t seem to get it and he needs to be replaced. The more he denies that we have a serious crime problem, the higher our Murder rate and Home invasions rates climb.
“It’s time for the community to step forward, now, and take an active role in its own safety.“
Let’s start with the community leaders. Certain members of City Council need to put the taxpayers money where THEIR mouths are, and give the Chief what the former Mayor promised, and the new Mayor advocates. Another nine officers would go a long way in the struggle against crime by making officers available to impact crime in a pro-active manner instead of merely reactive. Grants only begin to address the needs, and are a program with a beginning & an end. We need a solution that is longer lasting than that, or we risk sliding back on whatever progress we hope to achieve while they are in effect.
Advertisement