TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Crime, homelessness and drug use dominated the conversation Tuesday evening as nearly two dozen midtown Tucson residents gathered with police representatives for the monthly Alvernon Grant Initiative meeting.
Neighbors from four surrounding neighborhoods met with members of the Tucson Police Department to discuss concerns and work collaboratively on solutions.
“These are really important and good discussions where citizens, neighbors, residents and neighborhood associations can meet with Tucson Police Department,” said Peter Williams, a San Carlos neighborhood resident.
The area around Grant Road and Alvernon Way has long struggled with crime and safety issues, something attendees are hoping to address together.
“Crime doesn’t stop just because of the particular area, and we wanna be part of the solution for this area,” Williams added.
Beyond reducing crime, Williams said he wants to change perceptions of the neighborhood.
“To improve it for local businesses, to improve it for local residents, and to improve it for the people who might come down to this area—maybe they’re shopping, picking up this, picking up that,” he said.
The Alvernon Grant Initiative, established to improve quality of life in the area, includes not just police but other city services. Tucson Police Lt. Lisa Rizzi said the effort is intentionally broad-based.
“What we do is we meet and we try to solve problems. Whether that means other community departments like code enforcement, environmental services, the police department—we try to work together to solve different problems in the community,” Rizzi said.
The initiative continues to meet monthly, aiming to create a safer and more connected midtown Tucson.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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