At Recess Coffee on Montgomery Street in Syracuse, NY, our employees face a daily struggle that has only escalated over time. Their routine workday is marred by consistent harassment, threats, and disruption from individuals in the area. This situation has reached a point where their safety and peace of mind are compromised, which not only affects morale but also threatens the livelihood of local businesses. In the past month alone, our employees have been physically threatened multiple times, our dining room has been defecated in, our guests harassed, and our tips stolen, to name just a few occurrences. It is not uncommon for us to deal with an issue like this every single day. 

This problem is not isolated to our team at Recess Coffee; it extends to all employees working in the business block surrounding Water Street and Montgomery Street. It's a common sight to witness service employees having to manage situations involving disruptive and disorderly individuals. These are situations that no service employees are equipped to handle on a daily basis.

We are calling on the city officials of Syracuse to take action by establishing a consistent police presence in this area during business hours. Even a single officer stationed at this busy area would vastly improve both the safety of the employees as well as the quality of service these businesses can provide, given the peace of mind they need to operate in a safe environment. The Syracuse PD has been very helpful in reacting to these issues when we call them, but a reactive approach has not equated to a safer environment, and it is clear that a more preventative approach is needed. 

It has been made clear since starting this petition that this is not a simple issue to resolve, nor is it isolated to the district mentioned above. We believe there is a solution that can help everyone who works in and enjoys Syracuse's local street-level businesses, and that solution is not simply harsher enforcement and criminal punishment. We look forward to a productive conversation about how to address this issue humanely and effectively. 

By supporting this petition, you contribute to creating a safe working environment for the employees of Syracuse's business district. Sign the petition today and help make our community a safer place to work and thrive.