Posted by Jack (from Facebook post)
“We are the owners of Great Harvest. We’ve tried our best to quietly handle these types of situations on our own over the past couple of years but we are getting to the point where we worry for the safety of our staff. These situations are escalating. We’ve had someone throw a bloody napkin at one of our employees because he was mad at her, transients running in and stealing our tips jars MORE THAN ONCE, needles found all around when employees walk out the back door to take the garbage out, we’ve cleaned up camps and feces outside all three of our locations also more than once, transients living above one of our locations without us knowing and cutting our water lines for showers, a guy walked in the other day and asked one of our 19 year old employees at the counter if he could pay her for oral sex and didn’t back down until one of our more vocal employees kicked him out, a transient yelled at me and threatened to bring his other transient friends in if I didn’t give him a large free slice of bread and then leaned over the counter like he wanted to fight me and honestly I was pretty scared. We feel sad and frustrated that the two of us cannot constantly be at our three locations at all times to protect and stand up for our young staff that regularly has to deal with this. And as business owners it is very scary to stick your neck out and say something.”
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I have deep roots in this town I love so much but it’s hard not to feel frustrated. My employees have to deal with the druggy homeless population giving them trouble on a regular basis. Late this afternoon I happened to stop into one of my locations and the 3 young ladies working were on edge because a guy clearly on meth was hanging out, going in and out of the bathroom repeatedly, and asking them all kinds of random questions. Not long after I got there a Chico PD (who I have nothing but respect and admiration for) cruised through the parking lot. I went out and told him about the guy and his response was to tell him to leave and call if there’s trouble and then drove away. In this instance I stayed and Steve came and we made him leave. I realize Chico isn’t alone and there have always been vagrants but I worked in a gas station throughout my teenage years and I think the homeless that come into Great Harvest now are much worse than what I had to deal with at the gas station on Nord Ave. It feels a little helpless and very maddening and I’m not really sure what the answer is.
Angie Brunemeyer – This should not be happening! I’m so sorry you and your employees have to deal with this. My husband works on Meyers street and it’s a daily battle. My neighbor was a cop, but they recently moved to Idaho because he was sick and tired of not being able to actually keep criminal transients in jail. He was frustrated with our laws protecting them and not keeping our families safe.
Don’t ask me! I can’t think of any legal way to solve the problem. I heard someone say we should go back to vigilantism, but that would be wrong.
I suppose some form of illegal retribution could work, but as I said, vigilantism would be wrong.
So I hope nobody misunderstands me, and resorts to vigilantism, because that would be wrong.
Besides, vigilantism bypasses all the legal safeguards like due process and our system of just punishment. Remember, vigilantism would be wrong.
Vigilantism it is then!
Gee, I hope not. I’d hate to see things like turning fire hoses on trespassers, cracking shinbones of menacing druggies with baseball bats, or finding ecologically sound replacements for tar and feathers. That sort of thing just wouldn’t be nice, would it? Please, no vigilantism.
Chico and the City Council are finding out what Phoenix, San Diego, Oceanside and other cities learned years ago: If you build (provide) it, they will come.
And if the police department won’t enforce the law, it will be up to the residents to protect themselves. And since Chico PD operates under guidelines by the City Council, perhaps the new redistricting map will result in removal of those council members who have been there way too long.
Alternatively, those businesses will have no other choice than to relocate elsewhere – as other cities are learning.
Today’s comment is brought to you by the letter “T”, as in–
TRUMP and TEXAS.
“And as business owners it is very scary to stick your neck out and say something.”
I really don’t understand the writer’s position on this point. Maybe they could elaborate a bit, are they concerned the cities code enforcement personnel will cause them violation issues. Is it they are thinking they will lose business from some of the patrons, who maybe support the influx of bums (yes Bums, not honest homeless) in Chico.
As J.Soden pointed out , many cities have had to deal with similar problems, building a field filled with sloth, building shelters and then turning a blind eye to the problems created daily by freeloading Bums with nothing but time on their hands is not the answer.
The comment about the Chico PD driving off is disturbing, has this become what was once was a responsive and citizen concerned Police Dept become?, and why? Is it because of Council guidelines? or just plain poor management by the Chief of police.
Sad, Sad,Sad.
The left leaning makeup of a liberal leaning City council is a lot of the problems, maybe they should go out in their downtown area and work some of these businesses and experience the real problems, if that doesn’t open their minds to needed reform, they need to resign and let someone else sit on the podium.