Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization (PDRI) director Rogeta Halvorson is asking for help deterring and reducing downtown crime.

While the majority of downtown crimes are not critical, they are still major annoyances those in the downtown district. According to PDRI, some of the previously unreported common infractions include:

• Vandalism to streetlight banner bars
• Twisting off low branches of trees
• Broken bottles and littering on the sidewalks and streets
• Public urination on private & public property
• 2-hour parking violations
• Flowers pulled out of planters & tossed to the ground

Halvorson wants citizens, business and property owners, and downtown residents to report all crimes regardless of size to the Prairie du Chien Police Department or PDRI. “These and other instances go unreported to the police because ‘we don’t want to bother them’”, says Halvorson, “well, go ahead and please bother them; that’s what they’re here for and Chief King’s department wants to hear from you every time.”

Reported data will be used by police to pinpoint downtown areas & hours needing special attention.

Halvorson says that while it may seem that some of these crimes aren’t worth reporting, “to a property owner who has to pay out of pocket expenses time and again to fix or replace his or her damaged property, it is a big deal.”