Standing northeast of downtown on 106 Avenue, a senior Edmonton police officer vowed yesterday to clamp down on bad behaviour in Boyle McCauley even as a man nearby shouted obscenities.
Edmonton Police Insp. Brian Nowlan said residents in both communities will see more police officers and they’ll crack down on public intoxication, public urination, assaults, robberies, and drug trafficking.
“This particular area is not only the worst in the downtown division, but for the whole city as well,” said Nowlan as a man was yelling obscenities behind reporters on 106 Avenue and 96 Street.
“It’s a zero tolerance when it comes to public intoxication, public urination … This is the sort of the behaviour we are going to be clamping down on.”
Police with the city’s downtown division say they have already dealt with more than 150 assaults and 45 robberies so far this year in the two neighbourhoods where there are currently a few homeless shelters.
Sophy Yeung, a 32-year-old who has lived in Boyle for seven years, says more police presence will change her community for the better.
“It has lots of potential and we believe these houses in this neighbourhood will really come alive,” said Yeung.
