Main Street After Dark

By Eric Richardson
Published: Monday, October 09, 2006, at 10:30PM

Eric Richardson

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The numbers that LAPD gives for arrests on Skid Row in the past weeks are staggering. The Downtown News writes of 830 arrests between September 24th and October 4th, with 546 of those involving narcotics.

Yet even more amazing is how this heightened crackdown can still leave the scene on the street looking pretty much the same as it has.

Walking from my apartment to Old Bank DVD (who need to get busy on updating their website) this evening I took Main street to check out the scene between 6th and 5th. Back in August I wrote about this block, particularly the part fronting the LA Garage, as the new scene for loitering on Main street. While the number of individuals hanging out may be down from what it was there's certainly still nothing good going on. I saw money changing hands, and I'm pretty sure they weren't settling up friendly bets.

To me that just underscores the magnitude of the problem we're dealing with here. This isn't the homeless problem. This is about drugs. Clean out the dealers and then you can start to see the real situation with the homeless.

Comments

colemonkee writes:

This reminds me of the opinion article that Captain Smith wrote in the DT News a few weeks back about part of the problem with crime downtown is not being able to arrest people, but actually prosecuting them. I wonder how many of the 830 people arrested were immediately released due to no space in holding cells or charges too petty for prosecutors to pursue.

# on Oct.10.2006 AT 02:05 PM

downtownmike writes:

I haven't been down Main street lately, but one really interesting result of the recent legislation changes was the dispersal of the encampment along Maple street betweeen 9th and 8th street. I usually drive up Maple on my way home to the Textile building and there use to always be a small but consistent encampment of people in front of the shops on Maple street. I've noticed that this area is now clear of all tents and street sleepers at night.

# on Oct.11.2006 AT 06:56 PM

aes06 writes:

It's ridiculous at night on the same stretch 7th to 4th, I always wonder where the lapd is at? What's needed is some type of loitering enforcement. One of the things i've notice here between 7th & 6th is the usual suspects at the Cecil & Crabby Joes. Now there is a food joint and mini mart with chairs in front, and all they do is buy a drink and do business as usual.

# on Oct.13.2006 AT 11:37 PM

sto writes:

Yeah I also noticed that. During the daytime I see 2 cops stationed on the corner of every block of Main. But at night there isn't a cop in sight.

If the LAPD was down to approve a concealed weapons license for me I'd be more than glad to start up a 'neighborhood watch'!

# on Oct.19.2006 AT 12:28 AM