Residents Maintain that Nuisance Hotels Are the Issue.
In one of his first acts as the newly appointed leader of the Western District, Anne Arundel County Police Captain Chad MacFarland greeted dozens of customers at Corridor Marketplace and Maryland City Plaza Friday afternoon. MacFarland said it was important for him and his team to hear directly from residents in the aftermath of a carjacking and ATM robbery at both locations nearly two weeks ago. "We are committed to building our relationship with residents here in Laurel. We figured that visiting customers here at the shopping centers was a great way to get some perspective and insights about neighborhood concerns," said MacFarland. MacFarland was joined by nearly a dozen officers under his command who passed out flyers and business cards to customers during the canvass.
Delegate Mike Rogers joined MacFarland for the canvass and provided some context for the new Western District leader. "We have a great relationship with our police department and I know many of the officers here today. It's important to understand however that the taxpayers here in Fieldstone, the Watershed, Russett, Bacontown, and Maryland City still feel like this is the forgotten part of the County. That needs to change," said Rogers.
Ryan Gordan, a customer at Maryland City Plaza, said that problems with crime can be traced back to the hotels. "We've been talking about the hotels for years with guys like Devin (Tucker). The hotels are out of control. The residents from the hotels are here every day. Before you all came, there was an incident out front here. There is something crazy every day. Until you all address the hotels there are always going to be issues."
Devin Tucker also attended the canvass and agreed with the assessment. Local residents have long complained about the lack of a concrete plan to address nuisance issues at the hotels. Tucker launched a petition drive three years ago to address nuisance issues at the hotels and gathered over 700 signatures from residents. Annual calls for police and fire service at some of the hotels have averaged nearly two calls per day in the past. He said that the problem isn't getting better. "The loitering, panhandling, and harassment are getting worse and it is more aggressive. It's not just a police issue. It's a policy issue and county leaders have to be more intentional about addressing the root causes. We have a good police department but the same can't be said about some of the hotel owners."
Captain MacFarland said that his team appreciates the feedback and is mindful of the concerns. He visited the Navy FCU ATM, the scene of the robbery, and said that he would make some immediate safety recommendations to the ATM owner. He also said that he hopes to provide an update to the community on the installation of the automated license plate readers along 198. The cameras are being added as part of planned safety improvements along the 198 corridor according to Anne Arundel County Police.
"This was time well spent and I'm glad I brought the team out to hear directly from residents. We will be in touch with everyone," said MacFarland.