Police To Open Small Substation Downtown

Last year, a large group of students got into fight at a major intersection in downtown Hartford.  Now, a property owner wants to donate a corner kiosk for police to use as an outpost to prevent further incidents.  WNPR's John Dankosky reports.
 
The city says the kiosk at the corner of Asylum and Main Streets is being donated by the Konover Commercial Corporation for use as a police substation.  In a letter to the city council, Mayor Pedro Segarra says he believes it will increase the city's public safety presence and deter crime.
 
Police Chief Daryl Roberts says there have been no major issues at the intersection since the flash mob involving city students last year.
 
"I don't want anybody to become alarmed because there are no major issues downtown.  You know, a year ago you reported the flash mob situation. We haven't had any problem since then, but you know you do have little spurts of kids that congregate and loiter.  So what we want to do is we want to create a presence to make everybody feel safe."
 
Michael Zaleski runs downtown's Business Improvement District.  He says he welcomes the increased police presence.
 
"We're an evolving downtown and we've got a number of residents, businesses and schools. And with schools come students and students who are commuting back and forth to school and waiting to catch buses.  There's been some issues in the past but I think they've been adequately dealt with by the police department and the school system."
 
The city council approved the kiosk earlier this week.
 
For WNPR, I'm John Dankosky.