The power of police presence

COEUR d’ALENE — Early Friday evening, it was quiet on Sherman Avenue.

Couples walk on both sides of the street, chatting as they glance at retail window displays.

Outside the Iron Horse Bar and Grill, two men wearing “Security” shirts chat as they wait for the night crowd to arrive.

Four young men, laughing and joking, cross Fifth Street when the traffic light turns green and hustle up the block, darting around slower pedestrians.

Then, there is one man walking alone on the south side of Sherman Avenue. He is wearing a matching dark blue shirt and pants, and a firearm is holstered at his side. On the back of his shirt is one word: “POLICE.”

That is Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Joseph Scholten.

He stops to chat briefly with one man at Fifth and Sherman, then continues on.

Next, he speaks with two men, visitors, who ask about places to go for a beer and dinner.

A few minutes later, officers Derrick Vachon and Amelia Thompson walked out of Mountain Madness Soap Co., where they had visited with staff.

They join Scholten and the two men, who are winding down their conversation. Scholten offers a few options and explains how to get to Seasons of Coeur d’Alene.

“The other side of Lakeside Avenue, which is the next block over,” he says.

There are handshakes and thanks as the men turn to leave.

The three officers continue patrolling downtown Coeur d’Alene.

“It’s been pretty low-key,” Vachon said.

Which is what they want.

They are not looking for criminals, waiting to bust someone or hoping to make an arrest.

Oh, those things might happen. But if all goes well, it will be a trouble-free night.

Compared to previous years, the summer of 2023 in downtown has been peaceful, and much of the credit goes to the city’s downtown enforcement unit led by Scholten, and a bond between police and downtown businesses.

It’s the first summer a five-officer task force was dedicated to downtown. Their constant presence made a difference.

From June to August this year, police calls for service and officer-initiated calls totaled 1,224. That’s down from 1,406 last year, and 1,604 in 2021.

From two years ago, police calls and officer-initiated activity this summer were down more than 20%.

“That’s huge for us,” Capt. Dave Hagar said.

While there is usually a summer shooting or stabbing, there were none this year.

Hagar said it was “one of the best seasons we’ve had downtown."

He said police have good relationships with downtown businesses and security personnel at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

“It makes downtown even more inviting,” Hagar said.

According to Our America, a nationwide organization, community policing works.

“In all, there are three key components to community policing,” according to joinouramerica.org. “First, the police must identify key individuals and organizations to partner with in their community. Second, the police department is organized in a way that supports community partnerships. Finally, the police proactively engage with the community to develop better responses to the problems they face."

According to a Yale University study on community policing, “a single, positive, nonenforcement-related encounter enhanced the legitimacy of police officers and increased people’s willingness to cooperate with the police."

Emily Boyd, executive director of the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association, said having a stronger police presence "was phenomenal.”

“They know where the problem areas are and know where to focus,” she said.

She said the officers became familiar with downtown faces.

“It was super beneficial for retailers to have that open line of communication,” Boyd said. "I can't say enough good things about our task force this summer."

Scholten said before police formed the downtown unit, they met with business owners and staff. Some said they didn’t report smaller crimes such as shoplifting because they didn’t want to bother the police.

Scholten assured them police want those calls, whether it’s a theft, an overly aggressive customer or vandalism. It was important they hear what's happening so they can prepare and respond accordingly.

The idea of a constant police presence is to prevent crime from happening, rather than responding to it.

“There’s nothing too small," he said. "You need to call us."

The proactive approach paid off. It achieved its goal of reducing crime and improving the quality of life for both locals and visitors, Scholten said.

The most calls to police from June to August in the downtown area were 48 reports of suspicious activity, followed by 39 calls for illegal drugs and 35 calls for driving under the influence.

For the same time period in 2022, there were 71 calls for DUI, followed by 68 calls for citizen assist and 53 calls for disorderly conduct.

Scholten said while activity at bars, such as fights, did require much of the officers’ attention, it was not their focus.

Rather, a priority was walking the beat, observing and meeting people and keeping an ear open to concerns.

“Building relationships," Scholten said.

Police will wrap up their downtown emphasis at the end of this month and plan to resume it next summer.