The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Ped Mall citations go down

Ped+Mall+citations+go+down

By Gage Miskimen

[email protected]

Two years after Iowa City implemented an ordinance aimed at regulating the Pedestrian Mall, complaints to police have dropped dramatically.

David Schwindt, Iowa City police’s downtown beat officer, said he doesn’t write citations often, and the most common are for open alcohol containers and aggressive soliciting.

“Most of the complaints we get are about homeless people. They just want to be down there and socialize, and it sometimes bothers them when people walk by and don’t make eye contact,” Schwindt said. “They don’t want people to fear them.”

Schwindt said he doesn’t write citations often because he would rather build relationships with people downtown and discuss what is and isn’t allowed. The total number of citations is negligible.

“The people I work with don’t have the income to pay citations, so I work with them and talk to them about why they can’t do certain things,” Schwindt said. “If I walk by and someone has an open container, and I say something and then walk by later, and they still have it, then I’ll have to ticket them.”

Nancy Bird, director of the Iowa City Downtown District, said she has noticed an improved atmosphere downtown.

“The number of complaints I receive have dramatically declined,” she said. “There are always going to be some, but people are genuinely feeling safer.”

Schwindt said the goal isn’t to ticket people.

“We want to effect change,” he said. “We don’t want to write tickets and make income for the city off of that. That’s not the point.”

Schwindt said the main focus of the police is on warnings and discussions as well as making sure people understand what they can or can’t do.

“Typically, people are unaware of the laws, and once we talk to them about it, they usually don’t do it again,” he said.

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Bird said it’s great to have Schwindt in downtown and that the police do a great job communicating with people downtown.

“If there are folks hanging out for longer, he has the capability to get to know them,” she said. “Officer Schwindt is a great resource to have in our community’s living room.”

Schwindt said the ordinance alone didn’t improve the Ped Mall environment. Instead, a number of things had to change — including cracking down and issuing warrants on businesses selling synthetic THC products.

“It made a huge difference because these drugs caused aggressive behavior,” he said. “Some people would literally pass out, lose bodily function, and some would even get psychotic.”

Schwindt said with the warrants and getting rid of the synthetic drugs, these behaviors were cut down and the people that were using these drugs weren’t coming to town anymore.

Karen Kubby, co-owner of Beadology Iowa, 220 E. Washington St., said she wasn’t in support of some of the ordinances.

“I felt they were aimed at homeless people,” Kubby said. “For example, people being in the planters. I wanted to make sure that was being enforced on everybody because some people would come listen to music while in the planters, and nobody said anything.”

Kubby said although she disagreed with some of the ordinances, she felt downtown has improved overall.

“I think it can be a misuse of the community’s power, but some of the ordinances do make the downtown area more accessible,” she said.

Schwindt said although some people thought the city were trying to push others out of the Ped Mall, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“It’s designed as a place to socialize, hang out, and meet other people, and that’s what we encourage,” he said. “We just want to make sure the area is safe and available.”

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