Clifford Weber is the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn Dover.
In response to the many public safety challenges facing our city and state, there must be a greater sense of urgency and a stronger commitment to addressing the issue of repeat offenders.
Over the past several months, we have repeatedly encountered the same individual on our property. On numerous occasions, we have asked him to leave after finding him sleeping beneath our dryer vents and, at one point, defecating in our gazebo. He has been arrested twice. During the most recent incident, police responded and found him unresponsive, requiring an ambulance to be called.
In May, according to police, an unhoused individual robbed a Wawa at knifepoint. Prior to police arriving, he had already behaved disorderly toward others at that location. Just two hours later, he walked to another hotel and assaulted an employee before proceeding to a second hotel, where he took a hostage at knifepoint.
Our police officers are overworked. Local business leaders have met with the chief of police and the mayor, and while officers continue to respond to our calls, it is difficult to ignore their frustration when they see the same offenders repeatedly arrested and then released on their own recognizance pending court appearances that many never attend. I hold a thick file of correspondence from the attorney general’s office regarding one such repeat offender from a few years ago. Ironically, each letter noted I would be contacted to provide a victim impact statement, yet no meaningful follow-up ever occurred.
I do not claim to have the answers, but I have suggested forming a committee that includes business and civic leaders, healthcare providers, social service organizations and law enforcement officials to begin developing practical solutions to this growing challenge.
State officials are now promoting the creation of a rehabilitation center in Dover modeled after New Castle County’s Hope Center. I wholeheartedly support such an initiative. However, the proposed location — selected without any public comment to date — is outdated, in need of significant repairs, situated along a busy and often dangerous highway and surrounded by local businesses. This is not the right place.
It is only a matter of time before more guests, customers and visitors share concerns on social media about feeling unsafe in our area. Such perceptions will inevitably harm tourism, business investment and the overall economic health of a city that is already struggling to balance its budget.
Our city leaders, state lawmakers and community stakeholders must do better. We need thoughtful, effective solutions that balance public safety, accountability, treatment and rehabilitation. If we fail to act before reaching a tipping point, we may face consequences that could have been prevented.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
