How should cities deal with rising public safety worries?
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Concerns about panhandling, drug abuse, homelessness and public safety seem to be building in Dover and other communities. What do you think local governments should prioritize to overcome these issues?
Homelessness isn’t a public safety issue. It’s a housing and public health issue. — Shyanne Miller
You need to get homeless individuals off the dual highway. Someone is going to get hurt or killed. I was almost in a multicar pileup because a driver in the far-right lane tried to give money to the panhandler crossing in front of a row of cars. The individual was retrieving the money as the light changed to green. If the three of us were not paying attention, we would have had a serious situation because of panhandling. It’s a good setup for someone getting killed or sued. There are stores I don’t go to because of the homeless population. I shouldn’t walk out of a store and have a hand shoved in my face from the backside of the door from a person requesting money. I don’t go to Dover at night. I do donate to help people. As the economy worsens, they will get more desperate. — Crystal Hamilton
What have the homeless people at stores ever done to you? They also shop at the same stores. There are 1,400 currently homeless in Delaware, and 27% of that number are children. So, that is why you don’t go to stores? Panhandling is not illegal, and they are going to stand where high-traffic areas are and where there are no signs indicating no stopping, no standing. They have the right, as pedestrians, to also be on public, state roads. Educate yourself before vomiting such ignorance about homelessness because it does not consist only of mental illness, addiction and panhandling. Lots of Delaware’s homeless citizens live in their vehicles, have income or even stay in shelters, and they have the right to shop at those very same stores. — Cindy M. Starkey
They should use the “Broken Windows” approach that New York City used to clean up the crime in the 1980s. “The Broken Windows theory, developed in 1982 by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling, posits that visible signs of disorder (like graffiti, public drinking, or broken windows) signal neglect, inviting more serious crimes to occur.” In other words, start enforcing the laws against small crimes. Of course, our attorney general would prevent that. — Ellen Hart Richardson
Get rid of judges who don’t follow the law. Any judge who allows a low bail needs to be fired, then brought up on charges. The charge would be aiding and abetting. — Rick Kerchevall
Judges who follow the law to the letter would cause more issues than they would fix. — Kyle Hendrix
Stop giving free tents and spots to sleep, portable bathrooms, methadone, food and get-out-of-jail-free cards. Hold addicts responsible for getting clean or get them out of Delaware. — Tiffany Isabella Demi
In Milford, it is a nightmare. Our local police try so hard to get homeless individuals off the highways. But they always return. And, in Milford, behind the banks, the filth they leave all over is disgraceful and disgusting. And I and a passenger in my vehicle saw a panhandler begging for money. Then, the individual left the highway and got into a BMW, removing all the dirty clothes. They need to be arrested and jailed. Let the ones claiming to be veterans go to the Delaware Veterans Home for help and a room. — Denise Bella
Lock them up. Do right by the hardworking, taxpaying citizens. I’m so sick of Delaware prioritizing illegals and criminals. — Lorrie Cucco-Taylor
