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Oregon District business owners and residents urge sustained policing presence, better communication after NATO appearance
Summary
Two public speakers told the Dayton City Commission they feel the Oregon District receives inconsistent policing and insufficient city investment; commissioners and staff said peak‑time dedicated posts exist but acknowledged gaps and ongoing conversations about signage, bollards and outreach.
Nicole Stargell, who identified herself as a long‑serving member of the Oregon District Business Association, told the Dayton City Commission she and other local business owners feel the district has received promises but not consistent investment or a stable policing presence.
"When I heard that the city spent $1,400,000 on a long abandoned nightclub to turn it into a police station, my thought was, Who is going to staff it?" Stargell said. "That money could have gone to building a real, stable, community based police force, one that knows the district, one that earns trust, and one that stays." She asked city leaders to provide sustained staffing and not only high‑visibility deployments for national events.
Dorel Lee, a resident, also commented on police conduct and access to body‑camera footage in an exchange that raised concerns about whether officers followed body‑camera rules in his case; Lee described his own experience with arrests and legal representation and urged the city to follow laws and procedures.
City staff and commissioners responded: City staff said the Oregon District is a fixed‑post assignment during peak nights and that the department increases presence on busy Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and during bar closing. Ms. Dixon (city staff) said there had been outreach around NATO safety plans and other outreach meetings with businesses; she acknowledged the district operators may not have been fully briefed on some security details connected with heads‑of‑state delegations that travel with their own security teams.
Commissioners raised additional neighborhood concerns, including complaints about the appearance and wording of temporary bollards and "road closed" signage that some business owners say discourages visitors. Commissioner Fetchow asked whether the mediation center had been part of signage and neighborhood discussions; staff said they had connected the mediation center with the partnership and that conversations are ongoing. Commissioner Shaw and others noted regional and federal regulation of airspace and said the FAA handles many drone safety standards, while staff said they are monitoring local drone usage and will share more guidance if needed.
Why this matters: Oregon District business and neighborhood stability is a recurring topic for the commission because downtown safety, steady staffing and consistent communication affect small businesses, nightlife workers and residents. The speakers asked for action beyond temporary high‑visibility deployments tied to national events and for more transparent, sustained investment in neighborhood policing and signage that invites visitors.
Ending: Commissioners and staff requested follow‑up conversations with the Oregon District Business Association and said they will continue to work on signage, bollard aesthetics, outreach and procedures for communicating with local businesses during large events.
