For the last 6 years the city has owned the building at the corner of 5th and Chestnut in downtown Lexington. The building has remained boarded up and vacant. Over the course of the six years that the city has owned this property, the neighborhood has turned into a war zone.

Shootings occur in this neighborhood on a monthly basis with many of them happening right in front of the building we are talking about. Drug deals happen right out in the open. Prostitutes walk the streets in front of this building. Twice in the last month armed swat teams have been on the block surrounding this building and have included the DEA, ATF, FBI and the Lexington Police Department.

Despite all of the criminal activity that occurs in and around this building, some of our city leaders still insist that we do not have a problem with crime in this district of Lexington. There are many long-term residents of this downtown neighborhood who are being terrorized by the criminal activity that is occurring. Many children cannot play outside because of what is going on in this area.

The current city councilman for the first district has continuously said that neighbors do not want to have any type of police put into this Palmer building on the corner of fifth and Chestnut. I find it very hard to believe that people in this neighborhood would rather be terrorized by criminals than to have a community police center. This building would be a perfect spot to house the Lexington police community services unit. This is the unit that provides both information and involvement for residents. 

Just yesterday a member of the community services unit visited the Castlewood park summer camp. When I went to pick up my two sons they were so excited because the community police officer brought Popsicles for all the kids at the camp. This is the type of positive reinforcement that we need in our downtown neighborhoods between police officers and the community.

if you feel the city should give the building at the corner of fifth and Chestnut, that they have owned and done nothing with in 6 years, to the police department a used as a community services unit center please sign this petition.  We must take back our community from these criminals who continue to terrorize good hard-working citizens.

This crime wave is going to continue to move from our Eastend neighborhoods in downtown Lexington to our commercial and economic center on Main Street and before you know it it will end up on campus and in neighborhoods like Chevy Chase and Ashland Park.