Calls for more police presence along Glenwood South ramp up after another violence incident
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Three people are facing charges in connection to a shooting in the Glenwood South district of Raleigh.
A man was shot in the arm and is expected to be OK.
ABC11 has been speaking with residents and business leaders after another violent incident. They're concerned about this weekend's shooting but say overall, things have been moving in the right direction. The focus has been on safety.
Eric Abbott said he goes out with friends along Glenwood South every other week and appreciates some of the recent safety changes being implemented.
"Nobody wants to be having some drinks and then have people fly by in their cars," Abbott said.
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Police are now shutting down traffic on weekends. Officers are also stepping up patrols.
Attorney Chris Moutos represents LM Restaurants Group, which owns Carolina Ale House and Vidrio along Glenwood South. He said that extra law enforcement presence has made a noticeable difference on Friday and Saturday nights.
"Increased patrols on side streets has helped in curbing certain behaviors and activities, such as drug and weapon arrests," said Moutos. "Added lighting has been a welcome addition."
On top of this, LM Restaurants has added off-duty police officers and private security to keep customers and staffers safe.
SEE ALSO | Glenwood South Businesses, homeowners react to Raleigh Police crime crackdown
"Do we still have issues? Yes, because you've got tens of thousands of people coming out here on weekends," said Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative President Larry Miller.
There are calls for the Raleigh Police Department to hold everyone accountable for illegal behavior, such as fighting or harassment, and for law enforcement to beef up its presence even more. But that request comes as RPD and other departments struggle to fill officer vacancies.
ABC11 reached out to see how many open positions there are.
RPD said at the beginning of Sept. there were 93 officer positions to fill. Police Chief Estella Patterson said that is an improvement from the last few years.
SEE ALSO | 'Few bad apples': Business owners speak out after Glenwood South shooting
The Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative hopes the Raleigh City Council continues to focus on safety at Glenwood South.
"I want to encourage the city to provide the resources to hire and retain police officers. They're understaffed. They need to in the next budget process, come up with the resources," said Miller.
ABC11 reached out to Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin to speak about safety concerns in Glenwood South. She was not available for an interview or to provide a statement.
