parks and crime: a modest proposal

So, I’m watching all the (deserved) turmoil over the rape in the bicentennial mall and the lack of regular patrolling there. (See S-Town Mike for good coverage of this.)

I’ve also been observing the treatment of the Church Street Park and their efforts to remove the homeless uh birds. (See Kevin for more on this.), which has resulted in a marked increase in police presence, as well as an army of Downtown Partnership Segway-ed “safety ambassadors”.

It seems the solution here is obvious. We need to get more homeless people hanging out in the bicentennial mall. Evidence suggests that this would have it staffed and patrolled in short order.