Private security on patrol to make downtown Raleigh safer through the holidays
Saturday marked the start of a contract for additional armed security patrols near a recent trouble spot in downtown Raleigh. Officers with the Capitol Special Police (CSP) – the same group that patrols city hall – will be on hand daily from 4 a.m. until midnight around the GoRaleigh station near Moore Square.
The city has been beefing up patrols in various ways after an uptick of crime – mostly nonviolent issues like misdemeanor drug violations, non-criminal offenses and simple assault – prompted worries among downtown residents and business owners.
"I think it's an excellent idea. I think they should bring it to Glenwood, and they should bring it to surrounding areas," said Dylan Box.
Capitol Special Police (CSP) will focus on the area surrounding the transit center, which is less than two blocks from Moore Square, Marbles Kids Museum and Moore Square Middle School.
Patrols will include two security guards at any one time, guards trained to de-escalate tense situations. They will be able to detain people but not make arrests. CSP will call Raleigh police for that.
While CSP is contracted by the city, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance has also hired private security – they are not armed – for the Moore Square area in addition to Glenwood South, Fayetteville Street and Davie Street.
The city signed a $223,000 contract with Taylor's company for a four-month span.
"Usually within 90 days we have it turned around where it displaces it, corrects it, but it makes the area safer for the average person to come," said chief of CSP Roy Taylor.
Taylor said officers assigned to the transit center will go through additional firearms training.
"We want to make sure they’re comfortable being able to issue commands, understand how to deescalate situations, to hopefully avoid any use of force at all," Taylor said.
The contract also requires the security officers wear body cameras and activate them any time they're interacting with people.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said the city will reevaluate the situation over the next few months while also trying to hire more police officers who could be assigned to the downtown area.
