Crime down in Uptown district, chief still not satisfied

Speaking to business owners and other stakeholders from the blocks that flank First Avenue east of downtown, Police Chief Greg Graham said he is pleased with falling crime statistics but not yet satisfied.

“We certainly have some traction, but we're not anywhere near where we need to be,” Graham said.

Comparing January and February 2010 to the same months in 2009, assault, homicide, rape and robbery are down 18 percent in Cedar Rapids and serious property crime like arson, auto theft, burglary and theft are down 20 percent, according to statistics released by police.

The most encouraging news came in the Uptown College District, where assault and burglary dropped by 18 percent and 36 percent, respectively, and even arrests were down.

“Crime is down more here than in any other part of the city,” Graham said.

Graham said police are doing a better job arresting the right people, and people in the community are calling police more often to report crime.

Phil Wasta, president of Pioneer Workspace Solutions, 1239 First Ave. SE, told Graham he would be “ecstatic” if his sales numbers were as good as the police department's crime stats.

“What wasn't happening, I think it's fair to say, two years ago, was people helping to find the criminals,” Wasta said.

Business owners have long said that without safety and security, their neighborhood will struggle, and have pressed police to do more. Graham said the communitywide perception is worse than the reality between 10th and 20th Streets on First Avenue East, and blamed The Gazette for perpetuating the negative image.

“It's just unfair the way it's captured,” he said.

The Uptown College District, whose members include Coe College, Hy-Vee Food Store, Brewed Awakenings, Pioneer Workspace Solutions and EncompassIowa, is trying to expand and hired Cristiane Abouassaly part-time to write grants and recruit more businesses to join.

She'll work on Thursdays at the Community Connections Resource Center, where police, fire and other city departments have set up offices at the corner of First Avenue and 15th Street SE.