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Youth worker, business owners press Salem council for downtown safety team
Summary
A 15-year-old worker and multiple small-business owners told the Salem City Council Jan. 12 that street-level violence and visible encampments are driving customers and employees away, and urged a permanent downtown response team and other safety investments. City staff said pilot programs and code work are forthcoming.
Mila Moore, a 15-year-old Ward 4 resident who works in a downtown ice-cream shop, told the Salem City Council on Jan. 12 that she and co-workers avoid parts of downtown because they fear for their safety and asked the council to reestablish a downtown response team.
"We need to bring back the downtown response team," Mila said, asking for consistent security or police presence to deter harassment and make customers and workers feel safe. Her testimony followed accounts from business owners who described assaults and threats that they…
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