Published: November 01, 2009 01:04 am      

‘A line has been drawn’ on Fairmont criminal activity

Safety in our homes and along the streets is something we often take for granted in small-town West Virginia.

Unfortunately, it’s not an ideal that all Fairmont citizens can enjoy. Case in point: The neighborhood around Fourth Street on both sides of Coal Run.

According to police records, there were 478 traffic stops within a five-block radius of Fourth Street and Locust Avenue within the last year. Though there were numerous arrests for assault, burglary, DUI, worthless checks and drug-related charges, the highlights include malicious wounding, sex abuse and murder. Within the last four months, there has been one murder committed in broad daylight. More recently, a man with a criminal record was shot multiple times by a gunman, also with a criminal record, who is still at large.

“Our neighborhood is different than that of a lot of places; it’s not like that on Farms Drive,” said Patricia Waugh, of Fifth Street. “Since moving here five years ago, we’ve noticed a difference in this area. The neighborhood seems to be going downhill. We lock our doors at night. But then again, our doors are locked around the clock. I won’t walk down the street at night.”

Fairmont officials know it’s a situation that can’t be allowed to fester. To their credit, they’re moving aggressively.

“We want everyone to know we are going clean up this neighborhood,” said Fairmont Police Lt. K. Moran, who is spearheading the effort. “From the police department’s perspective, we are committed to making the neighborhood a safer community for the residents who live there.”

Days after city council approved Jay Rogers as city manager in August, the vacant Butcher School — a well-known criminal hotspot in the area — was boarded up, and debris from around the building was cleared.

That was just an initial step. The city partnered with Fairmont State University, the Marion County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, and the city’s building inspection and fire departments to collaborate on the issues the city faces in all neighborhoods.

A representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Office has since announced that the group has been awarded $14,500 for “Project Safe Neighborhood.” The project will focus on four issues: gun violence, drug trafficking, community policing and the creation of crime-reducing strategies that can be applied in all neighborhoods of the city.

Law-enforcement officers will be directly involved in patrols of the neighborhood, making vehicle and pedestrian stops to identify and seize illegal drugs and weapons. Attention will be given to warrant service, and assistance will be provided to parole and probation officers with home visits and searches.

Leniency, appropriately, will be a thing of the past. There will be a zero-tolerance policy for parking violations, loud music, open container and public intoxication as well as for violations of the city’s property-maintenance, building and fire codes.

“No longer will an officer tell someone to pour out their drink to move on. You will get a ticket,” Moran said. “We will tow cars that are parked illegally. If your trash can is left in the street, you won’t be told to dump it. You will get a ticket. A line has been drawn. A strict approach will bring us into close contact with people in this neighborhood. Some will feel safer when they see an officer on patrol. Others will be put on alert and know that if you break the law — cross that line — you will be punished.”

Police, obviously, can’t do the job alone. They’re already maintaining a strong presence in the area.

“The police are doing a good job,” said Chuck Warner, who represents this neighborhood as part of the fifth district on city council. “Patrols have increased. Two residents have called to thank city council and the police because patrols have increased and there has been a decrease in disruptive activity.” Rogers said officers will also be in direct communication with the residents of the neighborhood and aid in the establishment of a Neighborhood Watch Program. Rogers said $12,000 of funding from the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be used to fund overtime expenses of the officers and $2,500 will be used in the establishment of the Neighborhood Watch Program.

Law-abiding residents of the neighborhood, we’re sure, appreciate this comprehensive, no-nonsense approach to the problem and look forward to the day when they can enjoy their lives as they should.