Officials in Springfield Massachusetts have announced a plan to increase the police presence downtown.
There will be high visibility walking and bike patrols both in the daytime and evening with flexible deployments based on events and crime data. Commissioner William Fitchet said there will also be targeted traffic enforcement, prostitution stings and spot checks of bars and restaurants for liquor license violations.
The extra police details downtown will be paid for by the Springfield Parking Authority, which expects to get more security at its parking garages as well as more business from people who feel safer coming downtown. It also frees up funding within the police department to send more patrols to high crime neighborhoods.
