Wednesday, December 18, 2002

F'ville increases police presence to deter Pavilion crime By JOHN MUNFORD jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com With the holiday shopping season in full swing, the Fayetteville Police Department has stepped up its presence at the Fayette Pavilion. Last year, the department relied mostly on plainclothes officers for the detail, but this year more uniformed officers are touring the area in marked patrol units, enforcing traffic laws and responding to calls for assistance in the area. "We're trying to get the patrol side out more this year and be more visible instead of covert," said Lt. Beverly Trainor. The goal of the uniformed presence is to ward off potential criminals, noted Lt. Jeff Harris. At the Pavilion, police are responding to a variety of calls ranging from shoplifting cases to identity fraud, officers noted. They also cite motorists for fire lane violations, which are common particularly during rainy periods, said Det. Bob Bautista. Officers are also using bike patrols to enhance their presence at the Pavilion, Trainor noted. They also hand out flyers to shoppers, reminding them of tips to help keep them from becoming a crime victim. And now officers are authorized to enforce traffic violations on Pavilion Parkway, many of which are for stop sign violations, Trainor said. What do you think of this story? Click here to send a message to the editor. Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page