Untitled - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Memorandum 411 7/ To: Stephen Rohlf, Building & Zoning Administrator From: Thomas D. Zerwas, Chief of Police Elkr River Dace: July 14 , 1993 Police Department Subject: PROPOSED ELK PARK CENTER PROJECT In response to your request for projections on the increase in crime and traffic accidents, I must tell you this is a very difficult task. As you are aware with the present Elk River Mall, we have realized a significant increase in calls for service. This is directly attributed to additional vehicles and people coming to that area. We anticipate the same to be true with Elk Park Center whether it is built where it is being proposed at this time or any other Elk River location. Shopping centers, by design, are there to draw people to shop and I am sure this is true for Elk Park Center. We, again, should expect a significant increase in calls for service such as motorist assists, car accidents, shoplifters, thefts from autos, vandalism, check forgeries and burglaries, just to name a few. This same situation occurred in Coon Rapids with the addition of their shopping center that opened a couple years ago at Hwy 10 • and Bunker Lake Road. The question has been asked whether private security should be required to deal with crime problems; however, based on our experience with the Elk River Mall, I would not recommend private security. The reason being that the Elk River Mall, at one time, had a private security company providing protective services. It was found that the service was unreliable and also ineffective. Every time they had a problem, it seems the police were called anyway; therefore, it was decided that the police department would contract with the mall to provide some type of on site police security service to reduce the need for patrol officers to respond to that area. With the use of our community service officer and a couple police reserve officers, it seems to have improved. As far as the issue of traffic accidents is concerned, we anticipate a noticeable increase in traffic accidents. Again, this is inevitable whether the shopping center is built as proposed at the current site or any other future site. Currently, at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and School Street, we average approximately four (4) reported accidents per year. This would definitely increase as a result of more traffic; however, we are not able to project what that number will be. Lastly, you asked about juvenile/gang activity at the proposed shopping center. I do not think this will be as much of a problem • as some people think. The current mall with the movie theaters and the billiards hall attract large numbers of juveniles to that area. 720 Dodge Avenue N.W., Elk River, Minnesota »330 • (612) 441-2324