In the News
You'd expect a library cop to speak softly.
Mike Ward, who signed on 15 months ago as the downtown Santa Rosa library's inaugural security officer, certainly does.
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Article
DN Security has been awarded a contract to patrol the downtown Santa Rosa library starting July 1 in an effort to curtail problems with unruly patrons. [more...]
SR, Roseland retail center reach deal over crime rate
THE SANTA ROSA PRESS DEMOCRAT - THURSDAY: DECEMBER 18, 2003
After years of negotiations, the owners of Dutton Plaza in Roseland have reached an agreement with the city of Santa Rosa aimed at reducing loitering, drunkenness, and criminal activity that have plagued the neighborhood shopping center.
Many owners of the 17 businesses in the plaza are celebrating the agreement, which culminates at least three years of efforts to upgrade conditions at the 3-acre center considered by many as a gateway to Southwest Santa Rosa.
"I agree, there seems to be a problem out there," said Tadd Aiona, a Santa Rosa city attorney who represents the center's owners. "It's not in the best interest of the landlord to have this there. We'll do the best we can to get them off this property."
Five weeks ago, the Dutton Plaza owners hired a new security firm to patrol the center 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Aiona said, however, that homelessness, drunkenness, and loitering are not unique to Dutton Plaza.
"Everything they have described, I have seen happen right here on Courthouse Square. It's a much bigger problem than one landlord," Aiona said.
The Dutton Plaza agreement is an important step in the Roseland community's efforts to revitalize its commercial center, business owners said.
Kirk Powell, a security officer for DN Securitiy, patrols Dutton Plaza. The security firm has been on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week after the city of Santa Rosa filed a lawsuit against Dutton Plaza's owners.
"The community is going to feel the difference," said Judith Guzman, owner with her husband of Pasteles Fiesta, a Mexican bakery in Dutton Plaza. Guzman was the leader of the effort to improve conditions. "I had two choices- to leave the place and give up the lease or to try an see if I can get this fixed to be a safe palce to shop," she said. Businesses in Dutton Plaza include an insurance agency, a florist, a clothing store, a coin laundry, an employment agency, a liquor store and restaurants. The agreement was triggered after the city of Santa Rosa sued the Oakland landlords, Yuk Lun Loo and Mei Fong Loo, and their San Francisco property management company in October in Sonoma County Superior Court.
Calling the shopping center a public nuisance, the city sought a court order requiring the owners to stop the problem activities. In the suit, the city said the Santa Rosa Police Department responded to Dutton Plaza about 1,000 times between November 2000 and October 2002. The calls were for such things as stabbings, drug violations, and intoxication. Owners and employees in the business center said they were frightened. Before the suit could go to trial, the Loo's agreed last week to a list of city demands aimed at improving conditions, and the city of Santa Rosa agreed to give the Loo's 10 days written notice of future problems before taking further action. The terms of the agreement were a part of a court order issued by judge Laurence Sawyer. Any violation of Sawyers order could result in contempt proceedings leading to jail time and fines for the owners and property managers, said Santa Rosa City attorney Brein Farrell.
Among the steps the Loos agreed to take are: Prevent the use of the property for illegal drug activities, lewd conduct, prostitution, urinating or defacating, sale of alcohol to minors, loitering, illegal alcohol consumption, littering, sleeping, panhandling, drunkenness, fighting, living in vehicles and blocking entrances or exits. Remove trash on a daily basis. Clean graffiti within 24 hours Perform property inspection on a weekly basis. Business tenants in the shopping center report improvements since the new security firm began patrolling the center. "The feedback we've gotten from the merchants is they're very happy we're there 24 hours," said Mark Nagle, Vice President of D.N. Security Services in Santa Rosa which also provides security for Coddingtown Regional Mall, Montgomery Village Shopping Center and others. "People were coming on the property not to shop but just to loiter and do things they shouldn't have been doing," Nagle said. "I felt the only way we could take care of those issues was by having someone on site pretty much every minute of the day."
Guzman said she began working toward improvements six months ago when she opened her business in the Dutton Plaza. The South and West Area Business Association joined the effort. When she didn't get results, Guzman went to city officials. "I got too frustrated, trying to work with the company, sending them letters, talking to them. So I went to the city," Guzman said. Councilwoman Jane Bender worked with Dutton Plaza businesses and representatives of the center's owners to try and resolve the problems, city attornet Farrell said.
When that failed, the council enlisted the help of the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Program, which was already working to improve conditions in two Roseland neighborhoods. It's attorney, Mike Casey, filed the suit. "The city was in effect subsidizing security at this site through the countless calls to the police department.