TEXARKANA -- Violent crimes are not common downtown, which has seen an increase in business and the addition of a designated entertainment district.
However, officials are frustrated by the perception that downtown is dangerous.
"I think the bad reputation that the downtown area seems to have is more a matter of perception than reality," said Texarkana, Texas, police spokesman Shawn Vaughn. "We simply don't usually see some of the more serious crimes in the downtown area that we see in other parts of the city. While there is a significant amount of foot traffic in the area associated with some of the organizations that help the homeless population there (such as Randy Sams Shelter, Mission Texarkana and The Salvation Army), the truth is that the majority of the people they serve don't cause any problems at all."
Ina McDowell, executive director of Main Street Texarkana, a non-profit that works toward revitalizing Texarkana, agrees.
"I talk directly with business owners downtown all of the time and they tell me they love the extra foot traffic that the entertainment district brings. These are people who are often downtown at all hours of the night and say they never feel unsafe," McDowell said.
She said the perception the area is unsafe usually comes from those who have not spent time downtown in a long time.
The location of the Bi-State jail and Bowie County jail annex downtown has been a deterrent to some people wanting to spend time downtown over the years, but at the same time the strong police presence is a positive factor for many downtown business owners, McDowell said.
"They like seeing the officers nearby," she said.
However, downtown has had its share of violence.
On Oct. 13, 2021, off-duty Arkansas-side Detective Wayne Easley shot a 20-year-old former employee of Zapata's Mexican Cantina in a storage area of the restaurant after the man allegedly threatened Easley and others with a firearm.
The man, Jayden Sledge, was shot in the arm. Among his charges are three counts of aggravated assault and terroristic threatening, according to earlier Gazette reports.
Easley's actions were ruled as justified.
Police consider the shooting an outlier. Reports from both Texarkana police departments show the majority of calls are for disturbances or suspicious persons, not dangerous activity.
In Texarkana, Arkansas, downtown is typically referred to as the area bordered by State Line Avenue to the west, East Street to the east, the railyard to the south and East Ninth Street to the north. Calls for service reports for the 2021 calendar year show about five burglaries in the area and a number of traffic stops.
TAPD Chief Kristi Bennett said more people downtown mean more calls for service.
"Due to the significant increase of people in the downtown area, naturally we have had an increase in call volume within that area. Most of the calls for service we receive are typically resolved with an initial investigation," Bennett said.
"We have a good working relationship with the business owners downtown, who also share interest in ensuring the safety of our citizens," Bennett said. "They keep us informed of any planned large gatherings, many times utilizing contact officers for extra security. I am proud of the dedication and growth into our downtown area and am honored to be a part of it."
In Texarkana Texas, the downtown area is bordered to the east by State Line Avenue and the west by KCS railroad tracks. It is bordered to the north by West Seventh Street and to the south by the train yard.
According to information from TTPD, the number of offenses such as robbery, assault, burglary and theft in downtown either are very similar or slightly below numbers in other areas of town.
During January 2021, there was one robbery reported in downtown, three assaults, three burglaries and four thefts.
"The types of crimes we tend to see in the downtown area are petty theft, criminal trespass and public intoxication. Again, nothing really extraordinary there that you wouldn't expect to find in any other part of Texarkana," Vaughn said.
Main Street Texarkana works for the future of downtown Texarkana and in so doing, positively affects the future of Texarkana as a whole, McDowell said.
Main Street has been working on getting more lighting installed downtown, which should help people feel secure at evening events, she said.
"People like what's happening downtown and want to be a part of it," McDowell said.