On April 30, the Daily State News published an article after interviewing me about my living conditions in Stoney Creek, titled “Living near a ‘battlefield’: Dover resident details neighboring crime.”
I am writing on behalf of concerned residents and to draw urgent public attention to the unsafe and deteriorating condition of the alley that runs behind our homes in the Stoney Creek development, which is adjacent to Barrister Place. Over the past few years, residents and passersby have reported multiple incidents of harassment by drug dealers, as well as illegal garbage, debris, used drug paraphernalia and construction material being dumped all over the area, drug and gun transactions, and constant suspicious activities every day. This space, once a safe and well-used passage for neighbors, has become neglected, attracting litter, unsafe activities and hazards to vehicles and pedestrians.
Despite repeated complaints to local authorities — which included Mayor Robin Christiansen, Dover Police Chief Tom Johnson, code enforcement officer Eddie Kopp, city manager Sharon Duca and City Council — no significant action has been taken, and they have fallen on deaf ears. I strongly urge the authorities to deploy regular police patrols and install proper mechanisms to ensure the safety of all who use this alley.
I appeal to the Dover Police Department and the Code Enforcement Office staff to take immediate and effective measures to restore public confidence and security in this area.
Right now, we are left to fend for ourselves, and I expect that trend to continue thanks to Mayor Christiansen, Chief Johnson and the code enforcement officers. The longer we are left to fend for ourselves, the worse it becomes. Neighbors are living in fear and being bullied by the drug dealers in this alley. Police are afraid to patrol, and code enforcement hides.
By highlighting my concerns in this publication, I hope to encourage local authorities and fellow residents to join me in preserving and protecting this shared space in Stoney Creek.
Larry Arellano
Dover
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
