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Precautions for Raleigh’s party district are on the mind for many.
On the heels of a car being weaponized to murder and maim dozens on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, precautions for Raleigh’s own party district are now front of mind.
It’s something that caused outgoing Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson pause from day one. “When I arrived here, I would go down to Glenwood South and the hairs on the back of my neck would stand up,” she shares. “I was like, this is an incident getting ready to happen—a tragedy will happen down here if we don’t put in some controls.”
She describes the chaotic scene: traffic everywhere, pedestrians overflowing into the street, cruising cars. … “At any moment, somebody could’ve fired shots—anything could happen—and there’s nowhere for people to go. The egress is horrible, and emerging vehicles wouldn’t be able to get into Glenwood South. It was a complete mess.”
To add to the chaos, she recalls escalating district stabbings and noise complaints. “By October 2021, I made the decision in speaking with the city manager to pull officers and assign them to Glenwood South.” And they’re still there three-plus years later. Upping the ante, she says parking-deck patrols, traffic-pattern changes and cars with blue lights have had a huge impact on preventing cruising and crime. While the police presence has all but returned the party district to a protected playground (complete with plenty of noise drama), having to keep officers there every weekend is taxing on RPD.
Regarding any public pushback, she protests: “To those who think the increase is too much police presence, I say, our officers, while there, are not enforcing. We’re not out trying to search and violate people’s rights in any way. Officers are there for presence, for visibility, so people can feel safe. To have conversations with patrons… and to help the area—not to make it a police state where we’re arresting.”
By the Numbers:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rape/Sexual Assault | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Robbery | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Assault | 164 | 168 | 149 | 134 |
| Larceny | 122 | 147 | 117 | 139 |
| Property Damage | 44 | 60 | 51 | 31 |
| Drug Violiations | 106 | 173 | 285 | 236 |
| Weapons Violations | 61 | 111 | 172 | 161 |
| Confiscated Firearms | 66 | 139 | 207 | 198 |
- Aug. 1, 2021: Chief Patterson sworn in
- October 2021: City began pulling officers to Glenwood South
- Fall 2023: Implementation of traffic barricades, increased patrols, private security and fususCORE cameras
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