HUNTINGTON, W.Va . (WSAZ) – The city of Huntington has rolled out a Downtown Safety Initiative aimed at increasing the presence of officers downtown.

This will include a new precinct in Pullman Square.

City of Huntington announces Downtown Patrol Initiative

From retail to restaurants, businesses in downtown Huntington keep the city going.

“I’ve been here 22 years, this summer will be 24 years we’ve been in business,” said Marshall Hall of Fame Cafe General Manager Marisa Milum.

“I’ve been in the business about 12 years, or really since birth,” said Thomas Dodrill with T.K. Dodrill Jewelers.

“A long time,” said Jeff Joy about his more than 30 years owning Jeff’s Bike Shop.

With decades of experience downtown, these business owners have seen a lot of… everything.

By everything, they say the scene around their businesses hasn’t always been picture perfect

Now they’re getting a new neighbor, a Huntington Police Department precinct in Pullman Square, along with a bigger presence of officers on foot and on bike.

“I think it’s great,” Milum said. She has an outdoor seating area in the heart of downtown. With many young employees on the job, her top priority is keeping them safe.

“We generally require them to walk in pairs, we don’t send anybody out to their car alone, but there’s nothing wrong with being as safe as possible,” Milum said.

Jeff Joy at Jeff’s Bike Shop told us in February that safety is a concern downtown.

“Still a lot of drug use, needles I pick up,” he said.

Joy said he looks forward to seeing the Huntington Police Department make this stronger commitment happen.

“It’s a good idea,” he said. “We had this before, and I think the downtown businesses liked it and appreciated it and felt more comfortable with the downtown atmosphere.”

T.K. Dodrill Jewelers will be directly across the street from the new precinct.

“That’s tremendous,” Thomas Dodrill said. “We have quite a few problems down here all the time of lingering, solicitors or loitering.”

When Huntington Mayor Patrick Farrell surveyed business owners in February and residents in March, he said overall responses said people want to feel safer.

The majority of residents surveyed said just the presence of more police helps them feel that safety.

Huntington mayor conducts neighborhood listening sessions

Business owners whom WSAZ’s Lesya Feinstein spoke with agreed.

“Just seeing them, just their presence alone will help people feel a little more at ease,” Milum said.

“If you just have a presence,” Joy said. “If people just see them out, that’s probably the biggest factor of a deterrent to do anything.”

“I’m optimistic, I think it’ll do great,” Dodrill said.

Business owners said they want anyone and everyone to enjoy downtown, and their hope is for less crime when that happens.

“I support anything that’s in the notion to make the city better and safer,” Milum said.

The city said while the officers are already working in this new unit, the actual precinct in Pullman Square will open in the next few weeks.

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