What About Public Safety in Downtown Raleigh?

I have spent a lot of time in downtown Raleigh and at Moore Square over the past five years, where I host a free monthly community event series. Downtown needs to be a place where residents, visitors, businesses, and the people who live there feel safe.

There isn’t one solution to every public safety issue downtown. I recently attended a neighborhood meeting regarding Glenwood South where residents asked for a more consistent police presence during times when we know there is more activity. I think the City should listen to those concerns and work with residents and businesses to find solutions that improve safety without hurting our small business community.

At the same time, not every situation requires the same response. When issues involve homelessness, mental health, or substance use, Raleigh CARES and programs like ACORNS can help connect people with services rather than relying only on enforcement. I support continuing to invest in Raleigh CARES. The focus now should be on using data to improve the program, strengthening staffing and training where needed, and making adjustments so it works as intended.

We also need to continue investing in the physical environment downtown, including lighting, clean and well-maintained public spaces, pedestrian safety, and keeping these areas active. Public safety is about proactively creating an environment where people feel comfortable being downtown instead of responding after something happens.