Slay to call for tougher Metro security after wave of attacks
Mayor Francis Slay will join the city’s new acting police chief at City Hall today to call for tougher security at MetroLink stations. 
The push comes after a wave of assaults near the Delmar Loop, detailed in a story by Post-Dispatch transit scribe Ken Leiser, including one where a gang of at least 20 youths attacked a family at the Forest Park MetroLink station.
Alderman Lyda Krewson, whose ward includes the area around the park, has called the attacks “pretty unusual”; Blueberry Hill proprietor Joe Edwards has called them an “aberration.”
Slay, in a statement on his website, took a slightly different take, suggesting the perpetrators migrated in from the county.
“One of the many disturbing elements in the recent incidents is a report that throngs of badly intentioned youths from other municipalities have been walking across the city line from University City,” Slay writes, “and threatening customers and employees of stores and restaurants in the Loop’s eastern portion,” which is in St. Louis.
The city recently passed the century mark for the year in homicides; the last thing it needs now is seemingly random attacks at a major tourist destination.
Today’s 2 p.m. press conference will be the first joint public appearance between Slay and the department’s interim leader, Lt. Colonel Stephen Pollihan, who replaced the recently-retired Joe Mokwa.
THE ANSWER IS CLEAR BUT OF COURSE POLITICALLY INCORRECT
When will the mayor stop talking and actually do something about these thugs? They are not just in the Delmar loop there are groups of roaming thugs all over so. city. If anyone thinks the police are going to do anything about it they are in for a rude awakening. Buy yourself a digital scanner and listen to our police dept. talk about the citizens they are sworn to protect… bet most people don’t know you can listen to them call their wife/baby momma/gf. on city time using the city provided in car radios…. they think everyone except those in blue and their families are 2nd class citizens. Mr Mayor how about releasing your fine police dept’s. response times for crimes against property and persons…I think most people would be shocked to know if your in certain neighborhoods it will be more than 30 minutes before you ever see a policeman.
The attacks “pretty unusual” Hold on I have to get up off the floor form my laughter. Right there is never anybody getting mugged or held oup or assaulted at Delmar near Skinker! Unbelievable, do these people really live in a bubble?
As someone who works near the DeBaliviere Metro everyday I would just like everyone to know how scary it really is. People cut through an alley instead of walking along DeBaliviere. They want to avoid the stupid “gang” looking people that have no bus pas or metro pass and are sitting on DeBaliviere smoking weed. It is disgusting. They sit there everyday. They just throiugh their trash on the gound. I can’t believe it is even allowed in our city. People are afraid of these intimidating people. The sad thing is they hang on DeBaliviere and make our city look and be very trashy. People should not feel scared to walk at DeBaliviere and Pershing. Something should be done about this. Who is out there to help? Anyone? Metro Security is scared of them themselves and won’t say anything to the problem people. It is very sad. I am scared myself everyday to just walk into my office because of the people just STANDING THERE WITH NOTHING TO DO. The funny thing is now they are dealing and the gangs are coming in to “CLAIM” their territory. All I am trying to do is my job and earn a living. Why should I have to work in a place where no one does anything about this. I will never understand why anyone would want to live in the city unless they absolutley have to. I also don’t understand why people have to HANG at DeBaliviere and Pershing. Get a Life! Go somewhere else!!! - Frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!
Local business leaders, especially Joe Edwards, need to offer a substantial reward for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of these knuckleheads.
One of the questions we should be asking is why it took so long for these attacks to become “news”. I for one would have liked to know about this trend as a daily rider.
I’ve never personally had a problem riding metrolink or buses, though I’ve seen a few drug deals. But, I still don’t feel safe. There is rarely a security guard at Grand late at night–but it all belies a greater tragedy: the loss of a generation of kids who are more and more disconnected from the idea of community as something to respect and engage in. We lose them every day we let them attend failing schools and all the hours we talk about the problem of kids falling through the cracks and do not act.
Unfortunately what is probably going to happen is that this group of turds is going to eventually confront someone like myself at the metro station who is willing to defend themself and their family. Hate to be a Debbie Downer but if I were attacked by twenty subhumans at the metro station I would open fire until they all quit moving. The metro link is providing a safehaven for criminals to catch a free ride from target to target on my dime. The lack of police presence, and law enforcement in general in Saint Louis is turning us into the armpit of the midwest.
First of all YOU, the taxpayer own Metrolink so you are responsible for the problems it causes.
Do not delude yourself about this; it is a black teenage male problem. They are assaulting and killing each other in record numbers throughout the St. Louis area. The “Oneness” campaign wasn’t started to save a bunch of delinquent white boys. Malls along the Metrolink routes have seen rises in robberies, thefts, and assaults by backpack wearing Black male teenagers.
This is not about racism; this is about taking back you neighborhoods and feeling safe going to dinner or the store.
Are you brave enough for solutions because the solutions are actually very simple.
· Inundate the juvenile court judges with calls and letters demanding stronger measures for repeat juvenile offenders (and you would be embarrassed how little is done to juveniles who commit numerous and violent crimes).
· No one under the age of 17 allowed on any public transportation without a parent or guardian.
· Weekday and weekend curfews of 10:00 PM throughout St. Louis City and St. Louis County with the parents of repeat violators doing time and paying fines.
· Service fees levied by law enforcement agencies against repeat juvenile offenders parents to help cover your cost of enforcement.
· Zero tolerance for young offenders over the age of 17. Make believers out of them while they are young.
· Start treating YOUR police officers like they are the good guys instead of taking the side of that poor youth. Remember, they will kill you.
This is your town, your streets. If you don’t take them back now you will pay for it(maybe with your life) later.