SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane says it will announce changes to how it handles illegal camping next week after growing concerns from downtown businesses who say the situation is out of control.
The employees at Tuxedo Gallery on Second Avenue said they call the police almost daily due to crimes happening outside their doors.
“You almost get numb to it because you’re watching it day in and day out,” said Kathy Castillo, manager at the Tuxedo Gallery.
Some of these include open drug use, people passed out on sidewalks, and broken car windows outside their business.
“The police, they’re trying. They’re spread thin because there are so many calls,” Castillo said.
Castillo and coworker Jessie Hoch have dealt with months of problems outside their workplace.
“It’s this constant revolving door of drug use and crime and defecation and crude sex acts that just doesn’t stop,” Hoch said.
A bullet through their window was the breaking point.
City Council Member Michael Cathcart said the problems required action.
“Just the litany of things that they are going through was enough for me to say, you know, we really should have a bigger conversation because your neighbors are obviously experiencing this, too,” Cathcart said.
A town hall meeting was held on Wednesday at the Tuxedo Factory with neighbors, city leaders, and Spokane police. Five minutes in, another incident happened outside.
“A woman took down her pants right here at the corner of Second and Bernard and started going to the bathroom for all to see,” Castillo said.
The business has made safety changes in recent months. Employees no longer work alone and sometimes walk customers to their cars.
The gallery shared more than 100 photos of crimes outside their doors from the past month.
Hoch said current help isn’t working.
“These are humans. These are people’s sons, daughters, brothers, friends that are out there. And whatever help they are getting is actually not helping,” Hoch said.
Spokane Police Department did not respond to KXLY’s requests for comment.
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