Perception: Downtown has an image problem. What can we do about it?

Crime.

It is a concern.

Politicians don't like to talk about it.

Law enforcement often gets the blame for not stopping it.

But who is responsible? And what really can be done to make sure this community is safe?

As the city of Goldsboro continues its plans to rejuvenate the downtown area and to make it a destination for residents and visitors, there is still a big obstacle in the way of complete success.

It is called perception.

No matter how many times it is debunked and no matter how many city leaders stand up and say it does not exist, the truth is that there is the perception among the citizenry that perhaps there are better places to go than downtown Goldsboro for family entertainment.

These same leaders say that the real crime is outside the downtown area and that the immediate location where the development is progressing is really safe.

But residents don't believe them -- and know crime can migrate easily, especially these days.

So who's correct: The residents who think they are not safe or the leaders who say there is no safer place.

The answer is both.

You cannot ignore the facts when it comes to Goldsboro -- the city. There are shootings, there are murders and there are drug deals. There are people who should not be there and the potential for harm to come to someone who finds him or herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But it is true that while there will always be a potential for the seedier and more dangerous element to seep into the city's downtown area, for now, the real issues seem to be around the city's housing projects and in some of the more questionable neighborhoods.

Keeping that threat out of downtown is not so hard. But it will take more than a public relations campaign and a few well-chosen speeches by local leaders.

We have to claim our downtown.

The development must continue. The streets must be patrolled and we have to make it so the criminals look elsewhere. We have to think about how to make it a place for gathering and socializing. We have to invest some money and some creativity.

And more importantly, we have to take a stand in the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area as well. We have to have citizen patrols and people who will do the right thing when they see a crime or a threat.

That is how you send criminals looking for somewhere else to reside and how you get a downtown that is truly a destination.

The answer for the projects is not so easy, but the theory is the same: Stand up or lose your voice.

Crime is a problem in nearly every community across the United States.

But success comes when there is a partnership and a common goal between those who live here and those who patrol the streets.

It is just a first step, but it is an important one.

Published in Editorials on April 3, 2013 10:34 AM