College Station police open workspace at Northgate
By Andrea Salazar, The Eagle, May 23, 2015
Photo: Sam Craft/The Eagle: College Station Police Cpl. Kevin Yargo, right, and officer Matthew Paris due equipment check on one of the patrol bikes inside the newly created workstation in Northgate for the College Station Tourism and Entertainment Police squad. The eight man unit now has access to a full garage and work station for their bikes, computers for filing reports and police business and a briefing room to help them patrol and work the Northgate area with easier access to resources.
College Station police have a new work space in the Northgate District, saving them hours in travel time to and from the police station each shift.
Through a partnership with St. Mary's Catholic Center, the police department is leasing a centrally located space for its College Station Tourism and Entertainment Police Unit (CSTEP) made up of eight bicycle patrol officers and a supervising sergeant who patrol the bar and restaurant district, as well as other tourist spots around town.
"Our goals are to reduce crime in those areas and work with residents and business owners to build effective partnerships," Sgt. Kenneth Petereit said, noting that CSTEP officers do everything from providing directions to tourists to handling assault cases.
Having moved in on Wednesday, officers are already noticing the perks of having an office space within walking distance of one of their primary patrol areas. The space includes a work station with desks and computers for writing reports, a locker room and bike repair area, a briefing room and an office for the supervisor.
Marcel LeJeune, assistant director of campus ministry at St. Mary's Catholic Center, said the decision to provide police with a nearby office was made as a service to the community.
"Police operating out of a trunk of a vehicle aren't going to be nearly as good at the job than if they can sit down and get a cup of coffee and take a break," he said. "We're helping police and helping the community so when they come do a job, they can do so in an effective manner."
For Officer Kevin Yargo, who has been part of the unit for about four years, the space is convenient because it allows members to store equipment and complete reports there instead of having to return to the police station across town for spare parts or to put together paperwork.
Petereit estimated that each officer will save about an hour each shift just in picking up and storing equipment.
The CSTEP unit was implemented full-time in 2013 in response to growing needs in the Northgate area. In 2014, police arrested 502 people in Northgate, mostly on public intoxication charges. So far this year, officers have arrested 99 people. Public intoxication and disorderly conduct topped the list as the most common offenses leading to arrests in the area.
Since 2013, business owners have noticed a decrease in crime and a more "customer friendly" approach to policing, said Chris Scotti, executive director of the Northgate District Association.
Specifically, he's seen more officers interacting with patrons, being proactive rather than reactive and working to find rides home for intoxicated patrons rather than arresting them outright.
He's also noticed a change in the way police and merchants interact.
"It started out adversarial, where you only had a relationship or contact when there was a problem or when you were doing something wrong," Scotti said. "Now there is much more trust."