Glengarry residents say neighbourhood safety an ongoing issue

Residents of the Glengarryareasay they haveongoing safety concernsfollowing atwo-dayWindsor police operation where 24 people werearrested and 48 charges were laid.

Oneresident,Marilyn Harcus, saidshe witnessed some of the arrests that happened as police roamed around the neighbourhood on mountain bikes.

"This is supposed to be housing," she said.

"This is not a good place for all this to be happening. And from the beginning when things started ... I think they should have put a stop to it."

Harcus, who was born and raised in the heart of downtown Windsor, said police presence on site is not enough to guarantee residentsafety in the neighbourhood.

"I'm glad they are catching the people that they are catching. It's not making us feel any safer.It's bad enough right now that I walk around with my knife clocked and ready to go."

Another resident, Pierre Garvel, said he didn't hear of the arrests, and that there's always something happening in the area.

"If it's not the drugs, it's someone getting murdered, someone getting stabbed. Unbelievable."

Nolan Goyetteis the chief tenant services officer with the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation (WECHC). He said many of the concerns heard from residents date back toa fire dating back to February, with increased incidents to follow.

"I think that there's increased activity at Glengarry in terms of potentially some kind of guests that come on site, potentially trespassers that come on site," he said.

Goyette said WECHCstaff often expressconcerns around their safety and reported a number of incidents, adding that a continued effort with the police and the community is required.

"We're looking at other partners in the community, to support mental healthas well as addiction."

"The police have always had a presence at Glengarry.What we've looked at is having more of an intentional presence, so working more collaboratively with our guards, with our staff."

Goyette said there's a place at Glengarry dedicated to having police on siteas a safety measure.

"They're not necessarily using it all around the clock, but theyhave space so that they can collaborate with our team,"

Windsorpolice laid the following charges during their two days in the neighbourhood this week:

• Assault with a weapon (sixcounts).
• Assault (twocounts).
• Arson (twocounts).
• Theft under $5,000 (eight counts).
• Failure to comply with a court release order (fivecounts).
• Failure to comply with conditions of probation (four counts).