| Do you feel safe in Downtown Flint |
| Yes |
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50% |
[ 3 ] |
| No |
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50% |
[ 3 ] |
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| Total Votes : 6 |
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munnbreslin
F L I N T O I D
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Crime statistics in downtown Flint mirror those of the suburbs, Journal comparison shows
by Joe Lawlor | The Flint Journal
Sunday May 31, 2009, 9:00 AM
Peter Schottenfels | The Flint Journal
Crime statistics show that despite public perceptions, downtown Flint is a very safe place. New businesses, like Blackstone's are helping draw people back to the area.
FLINT, Michigan -- Arvid Waller has lived in Grand Blanc Township since 1965 and said he has never heard a gunshot there.
That, he said is not the case in downtown Flint, where he heard there's random shootings and visitors are not as safe.
Flint Journal extras Downtown Flint
Here are the 2008 crime statistics for downtown Flint for major violent crimes and car thefts:
• Aggravated assault: 13
• Sexual assaults: 3*
• Murder: 0
• Robbery: 10
• Car thefts: 14
* Sexual assaults were tabulated by examining the most violent category of sexual assaults, including rapes.
Source: City of Flint police department
But Waller is surprised to learn his perception about downtown is wrong. According to a Flint Journal comparison of key crime statistics, crime rates in downtown Flint are comparable to Genesee County's suburbs.
And those rates are low.
"To me, it's very surprising," said Waller, who said he feels safe in Grand Blanc Township but not as secure when he goes to downtown Flint.
Crime statistics normally encompass entire communities, but when asked by The Journal, the Flint Police Department isolated crime data to the downtown area. The Journal compared those rates to crime statistics reported to the FBI by the suburban departments.
Some of the findings:
• There has not been a homicide in downtown Flint in two years, and there have been only four sexual assaults in that time.
• The assault rate is about the same, per capita, in downtown Flint as in the Grand Blanc area.
• A person is statistically more likely to be the victim of aggravated assault or robbery in Burton or Flint Township than in downtown Flint.
• Car thefts were somewhat higher in downtown versus the suburbs in 2007. In 2008, car thefts declined dramatically in downtown Flint.
To those who live or work downtown, the low crime rate is not a revelation.
"It's just as safe in downtown Flint as it is in the (suburban) neighborhoods," said Flint Police Chief Alvern Lock.
That's good news for downtown as it enjoys a blossoming renaissance despite the grim economic news in the auto and housing industries.
New restaurants such as Blackstone's and Soyla's have opened. WizeGuys Pizza and the 501 Bar and Grill are expected to open soon. Rowe Engineering and Wade Trim moved their offices to downtown, and there's new loft apartments being rented.
More events are popping up downtown in addition to the annual Crim Festival of Races, such as the Back to the Bricks festival.
As a result, more suburbanites are making their way to the bricks on South Saginaw Street.
Keith Green, part owner of Blackstone's restaurant and bar, which opened in April, said they're attracting many suburban residents on weekends. And he said people feel safe.
"We're absolutely packed, and we're getting people from Fenton, Grand Blanc, Linden," Green said. "Nobody has said, 'Would you walk me to my car. I'm scared.' People feel comfortable."
Green, who lives in Linden, said people there ask him about crime in downtown Flint.
"If I can get them to come out here, they don't ask again," Green said.
Joyce Church of Burton, who was shopping at Kohl's in Grand Blanc Township, said she has heard about the progress downtown, so she's not afraid to go there.
"It's probably safer now downtown than it is in a lot of places, but I still feel you have to be careful wherever you go," Church said.
But Karen Clark of Flint, who was also shopping in Grand Blanc, said she worries that areas bordering the downtown, where there is drug activity, will seep into downtown.
"I just feel safer in Grand Blanc than I do in downtown Flint," Clark said.
Dave Stamm, Grand Blanc Township's police chief, said while he couldn't comment on the comparisons with the suburbs, he knows that downtown has a low crime rate compared to the rest of the city.
"People may have a perception of crime that's not based on fact," Stamm said. "You can't paint all of the areas with the same brush."
Kenneth Litwin, a criminal justice professor of the University of Michigan-Flint, said many downtowns across the country are safe. Litwin said people learn about crime from the media, and they don't differentiate where the crime is happening.
"They hear about crime in Flint and they just assume that it's spread evenly throughout Flint," Litwin said.
Litwin, the adviser for the University of Michigan-Flint's criminal justice club, said students usually go through a transformation.
"When they get here, they've heard a lot of negative and scary information about Flint," Litwin said. "But they learn pretty quickly that they are probably in the safest part of Flint."
Litwin said part of the reason crime is low in downtowns is because they're well-lit, there is a lot of foot traffic and downtown business owners tend to chase away petty criminals.
Flint police officials said the worst that happens is people get hit up by the occasional panhandler.
Lock said officers are dedicated to patrolling downtown nearly 24 hours per day, seven days per week, often on foot or riding Segways.
"We continue to have a police presence in downtown," Lock said. "There's things to do downtown now. The people are coming back and we want them to feel safe."
"Maybe now the myth that downtown Flint isn't safe can be exposed for what it is -- a myth," said city spokesman Bob Campbell.
Jackie Presley of Flint dragged on a cigarette while standing downtown on a recent bright sunny afternoon. She often comes downtown, and while she said skateboarders sometimes cause minor problems, there's nothing to be afraid of.
"I'm not scared at all to come downtown," Presley said. "Not at all." |
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Sun May 31, 2009 8:12 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Totally safe or I wouldn't live downtown!
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_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:56 pm |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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Or does that simply mean that the burbs are now as risky as Flint?? It does appear that if one avoids wandering around north of the river they "should" be OK. I do have to say though that the scanner activity is sure less than it used to be or is that because their are less cops to do the talking?  |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:06 am |
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Gumby
F L I N T O I D
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| Probably a little to do with the arrest of the Pierson Hood Gang. |
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Tue Jun 02, 2009 7:55 am |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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| What I find interesting is that they are touting downtown Flint as safe as the burbs and now just today or yesterday the Flint Journal writes an article about a plethora of officers and firefighters are being laid off. Are the cops just supposed to patrol downtown? Oy. |
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Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:08 am |
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munnbreslin
F L I N T O I D
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| Cops are a good deterrent for crime andi, but the nuber one deterrent is a thriving neighborhood and lots of good businesses. This is why downtown is so safe, because businesses have come and occupied the buildings that were once crime havens. |
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Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:21 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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exactly Twotap, I couldn't agree with you more..
quote:
twotap schreef:
Or does that simply mean that the burbs are now as risky as Flint?? It does appear that if one avoids wandering around north of the river they "should" be OK. I do have to say though that the scanner activity is sure less than it used to be or is that because their are less cops to do the talking?
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_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:46 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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Heard a call yesterday for a holdup alarm at an East Court store. I thought that was a crime free area.
North of the river is pretty safe in the daytime. At night, though, I don't go out without my best friend locked, loaded & on my hip. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 1:39 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Don't forget that more people walking the streets ( college kids, pedestrians, shop workers, vistors etc ) the safer it becomes. Lets not also forget all the security camaras downtown, they can see who people are, read license plates, zoom in on facces etc. this deters people from commiting crimes.
Also the people living downtown means more eyes and ears out and about to stop the crime, see the crime or simply call 911.
quote:
munnbreslin schreef:
Cops are a good deterrent for crime andi, but the nuber one deterrent is a thriving neighborhood and lots of good businesses. This is why downtown is so safe, because businesses have come and occupied the buildings that were once crime havens.
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_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 1:58 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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| Funny you should mention streets being safe....what about, kind?...some people jogged right by my husband while he was on the side of the road and he couldn't talk and ask for help....he was laying down...how special is that...<insert warm fuzzies here> |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:03 pm |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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andi,  whats this about?? |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:20 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Long story,  but he's at the hospital now, being checked out for a seizure, ministroke or just exhaustion? Dunno..... |
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:14 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Gosh I am sorry Andi, my thoughts and prayers go out to you both.
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_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:48 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:46 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Hang in there, Andi. You're in our thoughts & prayers. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:50 pm |
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