SPD’s Captain James Dermody tells CHS that “the behavioral standards” in Cal Anderson Park have been reset and that his officers are able to return to normal patrols in the area.
“Part of that is the weather but part of that is also our efforts to reset the behavioral standards,” Dermody tells CHS about an end to increased patrols in the park.
Following increased complaints this summer about drug use and aggressive behavior in Cal Anderson, the East Precinct’s presence was beefed up “until safety is restored.” The mayor’s office also got involved following incidents like this August assault that left an 86-year-old man — a father of a local business owner — injured. Parks made changes to the green space including removing several benches around Cal Anderson as a Capitol Hill mother nearly single-handedly put safety issues in Cal Anderson on the city’s radar.
In December, the park will host an outdoor skating rink expected to draw 400 skaters per day and hoped to help boost Capitol Hill’s presence as a safe place for people and families to visit and shop.
East Precinct has also been busy in recent weeks with the presence of Occupy Seattle’s camp nearby at Seattle Central.
Dermody says his beat officers are “continuing to monitor” the park but said the number of calls for service reduced dramatically following the safety emphasis. Still, he urged, If you see anything, call 911.
Meanwhile, Dermody said that increased patrols around north Broadway continue as detectives follow up with the victim in the 700 Broadway sexual assault case.
The detectives are continuing their investigation with the victim, Dermody said and no suspect is in custody.
“Our concern is for a suspect still being out there but also for the fear component for those who live and work around that area of Broadway,” Dermody said.
The victim described the attacker as a Hispanic male, 30 to 40 years old, with a medium build, short dark hair and a beard. The victim said the suspect was wearing a black jacket, a red t-shirt with a white logo, blue jeans and black gloves at the time of the early morning November 14th knifepoint attack.
Capt. Dermody is dreaming if he thinks anyone’s behavior has been “re-set”. The street people who frequented the park over the summer/fall have a chronic, dysfunctional, angry mindset and that isn’t going to change.
It’s quite obvious that there are fewer problems in Cal Anderson now because the winter weather is here, and that is the only reason…this happens every year. When the same antisocial behaviors return next late spring/summer, as they certainly will, I hope that the SPD will resume more frequent patrols.
Protests are often magnets for people with problems. I figured that the Occupy Protest was the reason Cal Anderson was neater – many people went elsewhere.
(I am not saying that Occupy is comprised solely of people with problems, just that it may have been an incentive to move.)
Perhaps Captain Dermody could also enlighten us on the changed behavioral standards of the officers in the east precinct?
Seriously, though. It’s the weather. Really.
I’m glad that we’ve finally conquered that scourge.
No, it’s simply moved one block west. With the cops gone, it’ll be back to normal in no time.