A positive presence

Last week’s announcement that the Hannibal Police Department plans a more visible presence in downtown Hannibal should come as good news to those who live and earn their livelihoods in the historical section of town.
Police officers, wearing relaxed blue uniforms and pedaling specially equipped bicycles, will periodically go up and down the streets, greeting visitors, answering questions, and keeping an eye out for potential trouble.
Officers volunteered for duty on the streets of downtown in an effort to maintain peace through visibility.
As tourism picks up when the school year ends, the officers will play a role in the safe intermingling of tourists and locals.
The decision to initiate a bike patrol downtown was well received by both chamber and tourism officials. We want to join in that praise. The officers themselves told the Courier-Post that they like the patrol because it allows them to greet people face to face, rather than through vehicle windows. That personal contact applies both inside and outside of businesses. This approach allows businesses and visitors alike know that there is law enforcement on duty in Mark Twain’s hometown.
Is downtown Hannibal a hotbed of crime during the tourism season? Of course not. But the presence of law enforcement in such a personal fashion could go a long way toward disuading people with evil intent.
And that’s the premise behind this positive move by the Hannibal police.