Ann Arbor residents raise questions about safety as investigation of assaults continues
Related story: Ann Arbor officials defend police staffing levels at time when crime is down but concern is high
Editor's note: The spelling of Laura Kowal's name has been corrected in the photo caption.
As police continue to search for a suspect in six assaults on women in downtown Ann Arbor, residents are pondering the bigger question: Has the city's overall safety level changed?
At a “Take Back our Streets” walk to fight back against the recent assaults, Autumn Campbell said she felt worried walking from her car to the front door of her home. After 36 years of living in Ann Arbor, Campbell said, that’s not a feeling she wants to have.
“This man has robbed me of my freedom, that I can come downtown and meet up with my girlfriends on my own,” she said. “It makes me nervous all the time in my own neighborhood.”
Laura Kowal, 59, of Ann Arbor, holds up fliers with composite sketches of the men police believe are responsible for the recent sexual assaults in Ann Arbor.
Chris Asadian | AnnArbor.com
On May 29, a man was shot in the forearm in a parking lot near Dream Nite Club, and the city has since filed a lawsuit seeking to have the club declared a nuisance and closed down.
Police responded June 29 after a man was shot in the leg during an open-air drug deal that turned sour in the 400 block of Thompson Street.
Ann Arbor police have made arrests in each of those cases.
Authorities now are confronting six assaults on women in locations ranging from Division Street on the north side of the city to State Street, just off the University of Michigan’s central campus.
But as Ann Arbor residents share their concerns, statistics from the Downtown Development Authority reflect a decrease in downtown crime over the past four years, through the end of May this year.
Two major crimes were reported in the DDA district during May 2011, the lowest number in five years. More than 10 major crimes were reported in May 2010. A constant number of between 5 and 10 major crimes were reported in April each of the past five years.
Crime levels repeatedly spiked in June and July, data showed.
Newcombe Clark
Moods and priorities have shifted quickly in the last week, he said, as the seriousness of the repeated assaults has unfolded.
Clark said gunfire in downtown Ann Arbor, such as what occurred June 29 on Thompson Street, is cause for worry when it happens at a time many are walking around, coming and leaving downtown bars.
Though he is not oblivious to drug activity in the city, Clark said it’s when that activity moves out into the streets, and escalates into violence, that the need for a strong public safety force becomes more apparent — especially in light of recent cuts to police staffing levels.
“It will show up where you don’t have the resources to push it away,” he said.
Ray Detter, a long-time near downtown resident and chairman of the downtown citizen’s advisory committee, said those living downtown feel a need to take extra caution, locking doors, where they wouldn’t have years ago.
Detter thinks of downtown safety not so much in terms of specific crimes, but in terms of what led to the incidents happing.
Ray Detter
Detter recalled a time years ago when signs were placed around the city to mark locations where women were raped, to prevent further danger during a period of higher crime.
“That was a very difficult time and until this most recent thing occurred, I didn’t see a general direction of lawlessness downtown,” Detter said. “I’m hoping this is not representative of a direction … and that it is isolated individuals that for whatever reason are carrying out what they’re doing.”
Heidi Fenton covers police and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heidifenton@annarbor.com or 734-623-4673. You also can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
bunnyabbot
Sat, Aug 6, 2011 : 4:24 a.m.
@julie, it's not about having or not having compassion for the "dirties", as for finding solutions for the dirties, they don't want help, they want money. I am a practicing compassionate person as well as a practicing tolerant person, that is instilled into me because of my faith. That doesn't mean being stupid and putting up with bad harrassing or destructive behavior. I have compassion for the people accosted on the street just trying to pump gas.
UlyssesSwrong
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:56 p.m.
In the wake of police cuts, crime has supposedly gone up and now all the sudden our local media is telling us our city is getting less safe. Expected reaction from the voting public: "We need more police in Ann Arbor because crime is going up" I've felt very safe in Ann Arbor for years. Crime is not a huge issue here. The recent string of sexual assaults is disturbing, but that should not be attributed to happening because we fired a lot of police officers. If more police officers need jobs, send some state or federal funding Ypsilanti's way because they have a much worse crime problem than we do and don't have the resources we have. It's amazing that we live in such a friendly town that doesn't suffer from crime like so many other places, but we feel totally unsafe once the idea of hot crime in our city is placed in our minds. Maybe that's a credit to the people and police of Ann Arbor over many years, or maybe it's simply an affluent population having their comfort bubble burst and experiencing panic.
sparty2219
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 3:07 a.m.
Wake up Ann Arbor residents. It's happening everywhere. Just when you need the police as crime increases, the city decides to let them go, as with the fire department. They are playing Russian Roulette with your lives people. Wake up!!!!!
Independent_Thinker
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 4:11 a.m.
You're playing Russian Roulette with your own life friend. Obviously your perspective is that other people will protect you in this world. Very naive my friend. Your security is your responsibility. The cops clean up the aftermath and write report. What I would suggest is that your perspective shift to a criminal playing Russian Roulette (or better yet, let's give them slot machine odds) if they decide to attack you.
Jason
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 2:31 a.m.
@Sally...I really doubt that the sexual assaults are being done by someone living in Flint. I agree that Flint is a mess but it's a stretch to say the least that someone is coming all the way down to A2 to assault women. It's most-likely a local.
Mike
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
Ann Arbor is much safer than most communities but is not devoid of crime. We have murders, beatings ,rapes and other horrible crimes many which never see the light of day as far as reporting goes. The AAPD does as good or better job than most and can really write a good parking ticket or moving violation. Adding more police officers won't necessarily stop or deter a crime. This guy who is doing this has something seriously wrong with him and we need to all stick together and help the police catch him. Be smart and travel with a friend if you're going out late, better yet don't stay out till four in the morning. You can't have it both ways with your compassion for the homeless. If you embrace them and their problems (criminal, mental, etc) then be prepared for the corresponding increase in panhandling and other related issues. Not saying we need to kick them out of the city, I'm just saying that many people who want to help them are the first ones who cry that we need to spend more money on police protection. You know, the malcontents and whiners who never have a solution to a problem only a complaint.
ABC
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
This is disgusting. Ann Arbor residents concerned about their safety? We are lucky enough to live in a city where serious crimes can be counted on one hand. Yes, in recent weeks the numbers have gone up ever so slightly, but these over self-appreciative, organic, suburban residents who claim to be "fearful" of our "new", "crime ridden" community need to take a step back and take in the big picture. For anyone who has ever spent time in a bigger city, like Boston, New York, Los Angeles or Washington DC, they realize just how much of an oasis Ann Arbor is. I grew up on Capitol Hill, and despite our comfortable income, we lived in what many Ann Arbor residents would call "the Ghetto". There were more than enough drive by shootings, drug violence attacks, and more gang victims than you could count. It is absolutely atrocious that residents of Ann Arbor feel the need to participate in a Take Back the Streets march when we live in a crime free haven. So, yes, you might not be able to leave your front door unlocked... Wow, guys, time to start living as if we live in a city, which, you know, we do! It is disgusting that we feel our streets are at risk for becoming unsafe when just a few miles away, they aren't, and where the country south of us literally is in a situation where it is not safe to go out. Ann Arbor residents needs to stop being so self absorbed, look at their situation, and cut this crap. I am astounded at the level of small mindedness that is being exhibited here. Go spend a couple days in the middle of New York or Los Angeles, and then come tell me about how dangerous our streets are.
UlyssesSwrong
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:57 p.m.
Totally agree
MIKE
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:13 p.m.
You've got a point. I lived in NYC for decades, and there is NO crime here when compared to NY. There's not a single street I would hesitate to walk down in any hour of the day here in AA. That being said, maybe if NY, Chicago, D.C., etc, had "taken back the streets" decades ago, possibly they would be as crime free as AA.
Eric P
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 4:29 p.m.
One thing that I have yet to hear anyone bring up is that when we had beat police downtown, they would start off theirs days going to the the free breakfast for the homeless, talking to people on the street, the people who work downtown, and people who own businesses.... this lead to lots and lots of head's up info on; who was causing problems, who was intoxicated, who was fighting with who, who was new in town and who did what last night. This information was helpful in investigating incidents that happened over night, and in dealing with incidents that happen later in the day. Now our officers are going from call to call to call and not doing the community policing that the beat officers had been doing. I would also add that I have seen first hand non-emergency call response time has gone from 20 to 25 minutes to about 35 to 40 minutes.
Sallyxyz
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 4 p.m.
There are plenty of registered sex offenders living in and around A2, just check the Michigan dot gov website in your free time. Some offenders don't register, so it's likely an underreported database. Crimes such as the latest string of sexual assaults could be committed by anyone, someone living in A2 or someone coming in from Flint and staying here temporarily, or from another community. Flint is in a desperate situation and the mayor recently asked for National Guard help with out of control crime in that city and few police and a closed jail. There is nothing to keep Flint criminals in Flint and that's just one example. As far as locking doors now and not years ago, as Ray mentioned, one is always taking a chance not locking a door, now or in the past. Personally I have never considered leaving a door unlocked in my home. Why provide an opportunity for a criminal? I do think there is plenty of crime in A2 and some doesn't get reported, so statistics only tell part of the story. To answer the question at the beginning of the article, yes, the safety level of the city has changed. There is more crime in A2 compared with years past. There are more assaults and armed robberies, and more serious crimes. I have lived in the city of A2 for over 25 years, and 10 years ago I felt safe walking from the west side to downtown in the evening. Now that is not the case. One didn't hear of violent assaults with weapons 10 years ago in the downtown area. Homelessness is not likely a contributing factor; it is much more likely that increased drug use and thugs coming in from surrounding areas contribute to the serious crime in A2.
MAS
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
"other human beings who have worse luck" Why is this the default assumption for most Ann Arbor folks about the poor or homeless? To be sure there are some people that have bad "luck" but we don't know that without more. One could just as easily say: "other human beings who are not as hard workers" or are "lazy". It is a generalization without evidence. Again assuming the poor and homeless are in the state they are in because of bad "luck" makes no sense. What you are doing is rationalizing instead of reasoning and making informed judgements.
djm12652
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 7:14 p.m.
there are only a handful of true homeless...being those that actually have nowhere to sleep but the streets...not the number on the street that claim to be homeless.
L'chaim
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 3:39 p.m.
I like your reasoning. It's not necessarily about luck at all, because inequality is built into capitalism. there will always be an underclass, a number of homeless people and others who are structurally excluded form 'the market' for basic necessities. There may be more or less in a particular place at a particular time (here and now), but they are always there.
Awakened
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 12:41 p.m.
"Ann Arbor only had five officers patrolling a 27 square-mile town of 100,000-plus residents. The officers fielded some 90 calls, an average of 18 each. . .when one of the calls is a woman saying she has been sexually assaulted, fondled near Community High School — which would be only the first of five sexual assaults, including two rapes, that week — those calls take time to investigate and manpower to solve." From a reporter doing a ride along. <a href="http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/07/25/ann_arbor_journal/news/doc4e2cc70b6c5e4793327034.txt" rel='nofollow'>http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/07/25/ann_arbor_journal/news/doc4e2cc70b6c5e4793327034.txt</a>
djm12652
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.
The fact that the police locker room is on the southside of town...totally baffles the mind!! Who in their right mind came up with that logic, and why hasn't the "basement" issue been remedied? I am appalled at the treatment the remaining police officers are receiving. Is this the prelude to totally eliminating AAPD and turning safety over to WCS? Makes me wonder what the "city management" has up their sleeves....
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 11:44 a.m.
Here is my observation as a downtown resident: Walking to Starbucks for coffee in the morning I am likely to be accosted by a bunko artist. Eating a meal at a sidewalk cafe you are frequently solicited by a bunko artist. While pumping gas in your car after midnight you may meet a bunko artist. None of this bothers me, because I am a six foot man capable of taking care of myself. Though the thought is always in the back of my mind that there are ten level four sex offenders registered as living at the homeless shelter downtown and you wonder which one of the harmless bunko artists is actually a violent criminal. Walking with my family through a swarm of 30 "dirties" last Summer dowtown on Main St. was even for me a bit uncomfortable and after reporting it to the police we cut our walk short and went straight home. Most bunko artists are harmless. A few are rapists and thieves. It is official policy of the police not to engage with bunko artists unless they are "aggressive". That needs to change! The thought "there's some trouble just waiting to happen" comes to my mind frequently as I go about my day observing these things, shaking my head at the poor choices of our city managers. We need to replace all the downtown foot and bicycle patrol beat cops, since that is proven to be the most effective deterrent of the criminal element.
Julia Peyser-Gutierrez
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 8:01 a.m.
First off one of these "Bunko" people scared the man trying to rape my friend away. He saved her and made it so this man on the loose only raped 2 not 3. Maybe you need to take a better look at the people around you and realize that we really are mostly quite similar. Also those dirty kids you speak of did have running water at their old house on main and summit and quite a nice shower that they all used about once a day each, and cleaned the house at least once a week. I don't know which "dirty" house any of you went to but the ones i used to hang out in were cleaner than my house with university kids. What i am trying to say here is not everyone different from you is the devil, the choices we make in our lives change who we become and who are you to judge them all as criminals? If it makes any of you people happier the punks have been kicked out of their house and most of them are going away traveling so there you go.
Censorship sucks
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
and BTW, most "dirties" don't want help. Many of the kids who come to town in the summer choose this. I offered to help some of these guys last summer...offer of a meal and a shower. They laughed at the thought of cleaning up and proclaimed "but we're Dirty Punks". We all make choices every day and have to live with the consequences. The "white dude in a suit and tie" obviously made some good choices.
Censorship sucks
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:26 p.m.
A homeless person IS being a bunko artist when asking for money to buy food when they really just want it for a hit. There are more than enough free meals offered in AA to feed anyone who is hungry but no one is giving out free crack. And who would you ask for money, a person in a suit or a person in sweatpants? I'd go for the guy who looks like he has a job. There's a big difference between showing compassion and being naive about what many of these people are all about. Political correctness does not trump reality.
djm12652
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 5:17 p.m.
@mick52...so I can only assume that you do not make eye contact with any of the con artists...cuz if you do...here's a sampling of the scams... 1...there is a guy that lives at the Embassy, usually dressed in clean, casual slacks and polo shirty that will ask for a couple of bucks to get his car repaired..and I quote..."I'm only $12.32 short to get my alternator replaced...can ya help me get home to be with my kids in Chicago?" He's been using this line for the last two years... 2...another good one is that they missed the last bus and don't have enough for cab fare...so a dollar here, a dollar there and whaddaya know, they must be waiting for that cab outside the beer store...booze in hand... 3....another good one is one of the female con artists will stand by a parking facility and ask for help to pay Brewer's Towing or whomever cuz she locked her keys and purse in her car and can't get into it unless she pays the tow truck up front...if you are approached with this story, offer to pay the towing company with your credit card...haha...your compassion will instantly be challenged...lol I could go on with many more of these scam stories. I walk my dog no further west than Ashleigh or South of Liberty or North of Huronof east of Fifth. Like I said, I live downtown and hear all of these stories. And I'm not even 5' tall so most of these "bunko artists" think I'm an easy target...believe me when I say that approaching me once is the first and only time it happens...they learn quickly that my kindness is NOT a sign of weakness...unlike most of the "visitors" to downtown.
julieswhimsies
Mon, Aug 1, 2011 : 1:44 a.m.
@bunny...You will never live with regret having shown compassion for others. Being angry at the least fortunate among us is lost and wasted time that could be used in searching for solutions to the "dirties". You will never regret that.
Bilbo
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
Profile picture of white dude in a suit and tie doesn't help when using term "dirties" and assuming some are rapists and thieves. Pure conjecture, fear, and paranoia.
Mick52
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 9:11 p.m.
In my 30+ years in A2, I have never been approached by a bunko artist attempting to lure me into a fraudulent proposal designed to unfairly relieve me of my money. I have been asked several times for "spare change," something I have never had, spare money. Thus Stephen if the bunko artists are hitting you so often your "six foot capable of taking care of yourself posture" must be screaming, "I am an easy target!!" It sounds like you are describing the homeless and panhandlers.
bunnyabbot
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 6:22 p.m.
@julies, Stephen was, when saying the "Dirties" was referring to a particular kind of loitering about mostly late teen early twentiesomethings who were the cause of a lot of complaints last year. They were known to squat at homes or rent a house and have a lot of friends squating with them, in a transient fashion, so think 30 people living in a house, not cleaning or having working plumbing, making a mess of them, parading around town with their pets, using the sickly looking animals for thier sob panhandling stories and panhandling VERY aggressively. They were also the source of a lot of Punk Week troubles (they weren't the regular Punk Week townies and Punk Week organizers came out to say that those instances were not Punk Week related). The "Dirties", choosing to live hand to mouth, squating, panhandling etc, also are all wired, cellphones and laptops using social media to connect about places to go to continue the lifestyle, or to let others know how good it is here in a2 to panhandle and squat. For more information search ann arbor.com for punk week 2010, and then read the comments! <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/eight-charged-with-resisting-officers-at-bandemere-park-remain-jailed/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/eight-charged-with-resisting-officers-at-bandemere-park-remain-jailed/</a>
julieswhimsies
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.
"Bunko artists'? "30 dirties"...These people are an embarrassment? Show some compassion here. Please. It is much needed in A2.
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
"Bunko artist" is a phrase with a very specific meaning. A bunko artist is a grifter or con man who makes a living in an unethical way by deceiving and tricking people out of their money by running a specific scam, or bunko, also known as a con game.
spj
Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 12:45 p.m.
Could you define "bunko artist?" Do you mean panhandler? Homeless person? Neither of those things is a crime, nor is being dirty. I'm sorry other human beings who have worse luck than you make you uncomfortable. You're right, some of them are rapists and thieves. Some of the clean, upstanding citizens in front of you in line at Starbucks are too. Shall the police hassle them as well?