A Call from Senator Harper

State Senator Thelma Harper and I finally spoke by phone this morning about my concerns about overnight security at Bicentennial Mall. She told me that they were valid concerns and that no one, including women, should have to fear walking on state property at any time of the day or night. She told me that she was working with State Representative Mary Pruitt, the Parks Commission, and Metro Police on a solution and that we should expect to hear about it this week.

She mentioned the specific possibility that Metro might increase overnight police patrols on the streets around the Mall. I expressed the concern that the police patrols in the neighborhoods not suffer because of being stretched to include the Mall. She said that she did not believe that they would.

She added the incidental that my phone debate with Commissioner Jim Fyke left him "very agitated" and that he found me to be "antagonistic." I indicated politely to her that there were at least two sides to every story, but I kept my interpretation that I was merely being assertive with Commissioner Fyke to myself. I thanked her for her support and I came away from the phone chat feeling better about her commitment to preventing crime here than I had before. I look forward to seeing the details of the new solution.