Our post about the latest stabbing near the 16th Street Mall focused on safety concerns in the area.
That's especially true given an incident that preceded the most recent crime: the beating of a couple dining outside a restaurant on the mall, reportedly by a group of teens upset about being criticized for littering.
Some readers who responded to the item had harsh things to say about the security situation on the mall. But a pedicabbie who works there regularly thinks the area is safer than most people realize, for reasons that have everything to do with police tactics.
Here's a portion of what he shared with us.
Tim Tindle writes:
The whole mall is under surveillance. The mall and downtown are as safe as it can be. District 6 is one of the best police forces in the country. The problem is that some folks want more cops, some want less. Some folks want nice gentle Andy Griffiths patroling the streets; the fact is that can not work. They need to be tough.
Do you know why Denver has been a safe city for so long? Because bad guys know that the DPD will crack your fucking skull.
I ride a pedicab every weekend. I fight the same bad guys. Our community respects DPD. Without them, our careers would not be able to exist. #denverpolice #district6 #BID #16thstreetmall
