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Resident describes downtown safety incidents, calls for citizen group to support merchants
Summary
A longtime resident urged the Klamath Falls City Council to address safety downtown after describing recent incidents and urged formation of a citizen group to support merchants and coordinate with police.
George Tyson told the Klamath Falls City Council during public comment on Jan. 6, 2025, that several recent incidents have left downtown merchants and visitors feeling unsafe and urged citizens to organize to support downtown businesses. "I would like to see a downtown where a, a young mother can bring her babies in a stroller without feeling threatened," Tyson said, describing a recent attack outside the IYS building and a video he shared with city officials.
Tyson said he had spoken at length with the chief of police and the city administrator and praised the availability of city leadership and an officer assigned to a downtown beat. He described plans among downtown merchants and residents to form a group — "Citizens for a Safer Downtown" — to gather information and present a larger coalition to the city. "We need to get a group of citizens together, hopefully merchants, and, get a big number of people so that you can actually go to others and say, no. This is what we're dealing with," Tyson said.
The council did not take formal action during the meeting; Tyson's remarks were given during the public-comment period and he said he plans to continue coordination with police and city staff.
