Midtown neighbors voice concerns at Alvernon Grant Initiative meeting

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Two tenants off Speedway and Alvernon have since fixed their shattered doors after being repeatedly vandalized right around New Year's Day.

"I can't keep replacing my windows and doors every time this could potentially occur in the future," Julie Sprotte, co-owner of The Blind Guys, said.

“I’m just really hoping that it grabs the attention of our city and officials. I feel like police officers are doing everything they can, they’re totally overwhelmed by the situation." Sprotte attended the Alvernon Grant Initiative (AGI) meeting Tuesday evening to voice her concerns.

Athena Kehoe

Four Tucson Police officers attended the meeting, listening and talking to concerned residents. There is a TPD Lead Police Officer for AGI and a TPD Community Service Officer-Liaison to AGI.

Some of the main takeaways from TPD to the concerned neighbors included:

• Install security cameras where crime happens most. This can help TPD significantly when trying to identify a suspect.
• Report every crime you see, even if you think it's small.
• Attend neighborhood meetings, such as the AGI, but also city council meetings. Making your voice heard frequently will increase the chances of seeing some change.

"I'm surprised that I’m hopeful. I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me saying they saw the news footage and have had customers reach out to me," Sprotte explained.
One of the many recommendations from TPD and neighborhood advocates is to 'harden the target,' which means to make it harder for those who want to vandalize your property.

There are certain city requirements in order to put up a 'No Trespassing' sign. Sprotte says she followed the guidelines and now has one posted outside of their business.

For now, Sprotte remains hopeful that voicing her concerns and advocating for change will spark some eventually.