Friday, Aug. 29, 2008

High crime areas should draw more police protection

WHEN CRIME ESCALATES to the point it becomes “an unacceptable risk to public safety” — whether at an apartment complex or in an historic neighborhood — residents should be able to expect swift, intense police intervention.

But under a proposal by Columbia Mayor Bob Coble, if you live in an apartment complex beset with crime, you would have to depend on your landlord.

Mayor Coble wants to force apartment complexes plagued by crime to hire private security and implement other safety measures. The mayor recently modified his initial proposal that, while aimed at several government-subsidized apartment complexes in North Columbia, would have applied citywide.

The mayor now wants City Council to consider an ordinance that would require apartment complexes that account for 1 percent or more of the city’s major crime rate to pay for a security plan. The mayor said the 1 percent standard would prevent apartments that don’t have crime problems from being forced to make security improvements. Apartment complexes that exceed the acceptable level would be deemed “an unacceptable risk to public safety.”

We understand the mayor’s reasoning. He effectively argues that when a private business assembles large numbers of people together, it’s responsible for ensuring people’s safety. Also, he says, private security can enforce apartment rules and keep unwanted guests off the premises in ways city police can’t. Safe, crime-free apartment complexes would retain renters and gain new ones, the mayor reasons.

Without a doubt, it would be in owners’ best interest to take steps to protect their tenants and their investment. Hiring guards, installing cameras, carefully screening tenants and tightly enforcing rules would greatly increase safety and security. But that should be voluntary. The city shouldn’t force owners to pay for extra security as a way to replace the basic police protection the city is obligated to provide.

And let’s not forget that people who live in the apartments in question are city residents, just like those who live in Shandon or Rosewood. In addition, owners of apartment complexes pay a higher rate — 50 percent higher — in property taxes used to pay for police and other services than homeowners do.

That said, it would be appropriate for Columbia officials to encourage property owners to improve security — after city police have done their job of providing citizens the best possible police protection.

The mayor’s proposed formula for identifying those complexes that are most beset by crime and need intervention should be applied by the Columbia Police Department in allocating its resources. If crime in areas that meet the 1 percent test has risen to an intolerable level, that ought to prompt a strong response by city police. The city should aggressively patrol the area, get matters under control and pay more attention going forward. That should trigger efforts to develop close communications and collaboration between city police and apartment owners and tenants.

Even as it works more closely with the community, the city should make it clear whom city residents, regardless of where they might live, should call when crime overwhelms their neighborhood: the Columbia Police Department.