DEARBORN, Mich. – Police in Dearborn are taking steps to crackdown on disturbing behavior that’s causing nuisances in areas like the city’s West End entertainment district.
Visitors and workers have complained about loitering, reckless driving, car stunts, loud music, and other disturbing behavior in public parking structures on West Village between Monroe and Mason streets and other areas.
“They take these cars, and they have these loud mufflers, and they’ve been doing donuts, and they race up and down the street,” said Denise Giera.
Tire marks across the parking deck’s top floor show how chaotic things are getting.
“It gets pretty bad,” one witness said. “A lot of donuts going on. A lot of loud music. A lot of crowds. Too much stuff going on.”
Dearborn Police Department is cracking down. Officers are increasing patrols in parking structures and other hot spots.
“A parking deck is meant to park your car, leave, and enjoy the area,” said Dearborn police Chief Issa Shahin. “Not to loiter, hang out and be disruptive.”
Violators caught loitering or breaking the rules will be issued a $100 citation.
Shahin said, “I can assure you they’ll be a zero-tolerance approach. They will receive citations. That’s the last thing we need to do is to encourage people not to hang out there and loiter.”
Some regular visitors said they believe the citation and fine could send a strong message.
Some residents said they hope the enforcement expands into neighborhoods where they’ve also been complaining about street racing, loud cars, and reckless driving.
“We have a beautiful West End that I encourage people to visit,” Shahin said. “We want to make sure when they come to the west end downtown area of Dearborn that they enjoy themselves.”