Jane Redicker, president of the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, says residents in the Maryland city are increasingly concerned about fighting crime. This includes protecting those who work the late shift.
Redicker recently testified before the Montgomery County Council in favor of a bill designed to curb crime in Montgomery County. “This bill is about public safety for everybody,” she said.
The bill would require certain businesses in the county that operate between midnight and 6 a.m. to submit a “late-night safety plan” that would be approved by the Montgomery County Police Department. Under the bill, certain types of business, especially those that have generated a large number of calls for service, could be required to
- Hiring security personnel and providing training
- Installing additional exterior lighting and digital security cameras
- Clearing exterior, outside looking windows of obstructions
If security cameras are required, then the plan would require the late night business to provide video recordings to MCPD upon demand if a violent felony is being investigated.
According to the bill, police could also recommend, but not require, a business to search patrons by the use of metal detectors, magnetometers or pat downs.
Redicker talked up the vibrancy of Silver Spring, but said increased violence in the community “has people scared.” She conceded that increased violent crime isn’t isolated to Silver Spring but said, “here is where we live and work, and here is where we want to make a difference.”
Last week, a Washington Post-Schar School poll asked people in the D.C. area how safe they feel from crime. The poll found that 77% of residents in D.C., which Silver Spring borders, feel “very” or “somewhat” safe from crime in their neighborhoods. And in Maryland’s suburbs, 86% of people say they feel safe.
In Redicker’s view, the bill helps make sure that businesses in areas that generate a high number of police calls “do their part to assure safety for the whole community.”
However, not every business owner agrees.
“My primary reason for opposing it is that it shifts the responsibility away from the government to private businesses where it doesn’t belong,” said Jackie Greenbaum, who owns the Quarry House Tavern.
She questioned whether there’s a “causal relationship” between late night establishments and crime, adding that there is a lack of evidence to support the claim.
Greenbaum also pointed to the time of the evening shooting death of a 62-year-old man inside a Silver Spring parking garage in December, calling it an “awful murder.” Montgomery County police have not arrested anyone related to the case, which remains under investigation.
In a letter regarding the proposed legislation, County Executive Marc Elrich voiced his support, saying it would help the whole county’s economic growth.
“This Bill will help to ensure that the County public safety agencies and businesses are working synergistically to ensure there are improvements to the balance of safety and vibrancy throughout our County,” Elrich wrote.
Bill 14-23 was introduced last month. A work session on the bill is scheduled for March 27.
