A recent survey shows more than half of Wilmington residents say they feel most unsafe in the downtown area.
City councilman Kevin O'Grady presented a report on downtown violent crime to the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission last week calling the area tense and combative.
The survey from the city and the report from Councilman O'Grady support the fact that the problem downtown needs to be addressed, but some residents say they do feel safe.
"I've lived in Chicago. I've lived in New York. I lived in St. Louis. I lived in a lot of the bigger cities. Don't know if that's the case that I'd feel as comfortable there, and I guess that says a lot, because I've had that exposure," Joy Gregory.
The city mailed out more than 2,000 surveys to random households. The feedback from Wilmington residents suggests the city focuses on three main issues. Those include controlling traffic flow, fixing streets and sidewalks and cleaning up the downtown scene.
The city last surveyed residents in 2007. Surveys are a popular tool cities use to find out how they are doing and what they need to improve.
City spokeswoman Malissa Talbert says many cities across the country used the same survey and saw decreases in residents' level of satisfaction in many areas, which she said is probably because of the economic state. Wilmington not only held its own compared to other cities, but increased in many areas. Out of 82 different topics, the Port City increased in 50, including quality of life and city maintenance.
About time - add more police
As a frequent visitor to Wilimington from Wilton Manors Florida I am glad to see someone is finally looking into the crime in downtown Wilimington. I visit the area twice somethings three times a year and enjoy many of the activites there. HOwever over the last two year my parent and I have seen the crime rise and few police patroling the area. We come over from Tabor City to enjoy the Wilimington night life.
The last time we were there our car got broken into and I was robbed. Kind of turned me off. NOw we only go during the daylight hours and spend less money than in years past.
I really hope you will add more police partol and lighting in downtown and bring back the happy times we once enjoyed.
Clean up the act! It's all about priorities
The LEOs are too busy setting up speed traps, frequenting Chicago Pizza, writing speeding citations, frequenting Taste of Italy, and dealing with all of the accidents in the city. At night, there is definitely a presence downtown but I see a lot of them hollering at girls or shooting the bs on the corner. The only ones doing any real work are the horsey-officers... They can catch anyone on those things!