SANTA FE – Santa Fe Plaza businesses want the city to add more officers to the area after robberies and complaints about crime.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports more than 100 downtown business owners, managers and employees have signed a petition asking Santa Fe City Council and Mayor Alan Webber to address crime and other issues.
The petition signers also cite panhandlers and “vagrants” around the Plaza.
The petition, which seeks increased police patrols, says business owners are regularly cleaning up feces and urine near their shops, restaurants and hotels.
The request for more police presence also comes as officers are investigating two violent armed robberies in recent weeks.
City spokeswoman Lilia Chacon said the Santa Fe Police Department has begun to address the issues and recently kicked off a two-week enforcement effort called Operation Downtown Focus.
